The release of a new Dad's Army movie 45 years after the first movie and nearly 40 years after the last episode was always going to spark debates and divisions among the sitcom's legion of fans. I feel after watching it that the makers were incredibly insensitive to this matter and bulldozed out a version destined to stir up trouble in the ranks. Don't want to give spoilers but a couple of very major liberties are taken with the enduring original. Had me coughing out me popcorn they did because I carefully avoided reading any previews that were floating around.
That aside, and it's taken me all week to put that aside, I found it very enjoyable watching and found the comedy pretty good and the acting from at least half of them very good.
Where I found it weak was on the balance of characters - I've never seen Jonesy looking so left out and Frazer and Hodges are virtually extras in this. The non platoon characters however have way too much screen time, including CZJ which deprives us of precious time with our beloved heroes and their trademark bickering and petty rivalries.
The only relationship given any regard for that here was Mainwaring and Wilson's, which was well done but quite honestly threatened to overshadow the other characters until the last third of the film when Pike and Walker were suddenly remembered by the makers, if Jonesy, Frazer and Hodges weren't.
Jones is utilised a little but only as a plot device. His great character which dominated many a TV episode was hardly woken up at all. And these great regulars were deprived of their hour because the makers decided it would be politically correct to give far bigger roles to the side characters, one of which never even appeared in the entire ten year run of the sitcom!
I'll sum it up thus, if you're totally new to Dad's Army you may enjoy a pretty good comedy romp set in old Blighty (if there is anyone in Britain new to Dad's Army); But if you're an avid fan of the sitcom who can quote lines and reel off your top ten episodes without thinking, you might want to hunt down the makers of this near travesty and put some cold steel up 'em (A few more in this category I fancy).
That aside, and it's taken me all week to put that aside, I found it very enjoyable watching and found the comedy pretty good and the acting from at least half of them very good.
Where I found it weak was on the balance of characters - I've never seen Jonesy looking so left out and Frazer and Hodges are virtually extras in this. The non platoon characters however have way too much screen time, including CZJ which deprives us of precious time with our beloved heroes and their trademark bickering and petty rivalries.
The only relationship given any regard for that here was Mainwaring and Wilson's, which was well done but quite honestly threatened to overshadow the other characters until the last third of the film when Pike and Walker were suddenly remembered by the makers, if Jonesy, Frazer and Hodges weren't.
Jones is utilised a little but only as a plot device. His great character which dominated many a TV episode was hardly woken up at all. And these great regulars were deprived of their hour because the makers decided it would be politically correct to give far bigger roles to the side characters, one of which never even appeared in the entire ten year run of the sitcom!
I'll sum it up thus, if you're totally new to Dad's Army you may enjoy a pretty good comedy romp set in old Blighty (if there is anyone in Britain new to Dad's Army); But if you're an avid fan of the sitcom who can quote lines and reel off your top ten episodes without thinking, you might want to hunt down the makers of this near travesty and put some cold steel up 'em (A few more in this category I fancy).