Alicia Vikander's new movie Firebrand gets strong first reactions
The first reviews for Alicia Vikander's upcoming period drama Firebrand, which premiered at Cannes, are out.
The Tomb Raider star features as Catherine Parr, Henry VIII's sixth and final wife in the Tudor epic directed by Karim Aïnouz and inspired by novel Queen's Gambit by Elizabeth Fremantle.
Penned by Jessica and Henrietta Ashworth, the movie stars Jude Law as Henry VIII, tweaking history to tell the resilient parable of Catherine.
Related: The Little Mermaid's first reactions have landed
The first reviews out of Cannes brands Firebrand as a "watchable piece of faux history", praising the performances but pointing out the film's lack of direction.
Read on for more critics' reactions.
"It's a watchable piece of faux history, but the movie does not know what to do with its own heroine, content to leave her to the clutches of its villain: Henry."
"Firebrand doesn't present a particularly compelling case for what made her such an indomitable figure. As sympathetic as Vikander is in the role, this queen remains a bit opaque, her inner life never brought into sharp focus."
"It also is a fine showcase again for the talents of Vikander, who has found in Katherine Parr a strong role model, and in a time of rising autocratic control something contemporary audiences might find relatable.
"Law is truly becoming the consummate character actor of his generation, and playing King Henry VIII just cements that status. "
Related: Yellowjackets star's new horror movie gets rave first reactions
"With a messy story and confusing characters, Aïnouz's Firebrand is a disappointment to behold no matter how exquisite the film looks."
"Firebrand is clever to reframe Catherine as an important figure in England's change. It just goes too far."
"Firebrand provides a great leading role for an actress to bite into, which Alicia Vikander does with gusto, but also with the restraint and watchful self-possession of a woman well aware that it hasn't always ended well for her predecessors in Henry's bed. It's her best work since Ex Machina."
Firebrand doesn't have a release date yet.
You Might Also Like
