SaintNo1

Kate Winslet and her young co-stars are charming in this film. The children have some priceless scenes which are faultlessly acted and leave you wishing that you could encounter such vibrant children in real life instead of the ones prone to throwing tantrums in crowded shopping malls.

The story drifts all over the place - more of a string of events meandering along in search of a purpose, much like Winslet's character. The scenery is stunning, the colours of Morrocco vibrant and the glimpse into another culture is well executed. A fine film to watch if you want visual stimulation, but don't wish to concentrate on a complex story.

This film is beyond redemption - it is hopelessly dated, the acting is dreadful for the most part and the music brings out some of the worst excesses of the 70s. The only positive is Tina Turner's all too brief appearance as the Acid Queen - she uses her wild, energetic stage persona to great effect. However this is not enough to make it worth suffering through the rest of the film. Only for the dedicated fans of the artists involved (and even then you only need to view it once).

Much has been written about the gore and the annoying characters in this film, as well as patrons walking out of the cinema in disgust in response to it. I agree that the film is far more bloody than it probably needs to be - you're left repulsed by the actions of the bachelor party participants.

However, it is funny in parts - I personally saw amusing aspects in someone slipping in blood, falling on a coffin, going berserk at annoying children demanding treats, and ending your life crushed against a minivan - other people didn't. I didn't find anything funny about lingering shots of the dead prostitute lying naked in a pool of blood - way too gratuitous. Carving up and burying the bodies took up to much screen time as well, slowing the momentum of the film too much.

Yes, all the main characters are annoying - I wondered whether the director wanted us to feel empathy with any of them and then realised that he probably wanted us to loathe them all. The shrieking and histrionics of the men got on my nerves and it was a pleasure to see many of them dispatched.

The ending is particularly effective - no redeemable characters and everyone gets what they deserve for their actions. Cameron Diaz does an excellent job of portraying the horror of being trapped in an unfortunate family situation in suburbia.

If you're squeamish, dislike violence, want to feel empathy for the main characters and like happy endings don't bother with this film. Othewise, it has its moments and is different from the usual Hollywood pap in that it doesn't conform to the cliched movie experience or push the usual emotional buttons. Probably why many people have recoiled in horror from it - this round peg won't fit in the square hole.