Basil

Basil

Basil

source: Basil

I'm guessing the people who like this are simply satisfied to stare at Jared Leto for an hour or so, because I can't image anyone likes it for the story. You can immediately see why the Director never made another film. I quit at the 40 minute mark because this film wasn't in the "so bad its' good" category, it was just bad. Its really hard to know where to begin with describing how bad this film is, since its bad in every respect, though I guess it was in focus, so cheers to the Camera operator I guess. The dialogue is atrocious, the lighting is awful, the transitions between scenes is jokingly bad, and the acting.... Oh my, where to start. I rarely criticize production design but it can't go unmentioned for this film. There is an opening voice over about how the mansion is run down, and it looks like the Production designer had 5 dollars and about 5 minutes to make the mansion look old. To be fair, a lot of what makes this film laughably bad is because of what must've obviously been severe budget constraints, as it had scenes that clearly needed many extras, but only had a few to fill the background. But you can't blame lack of money for bad dialogue, bad acting, and some atrociously bad accent work by Leto and Slater. I've seen those actors be good in other things, so I have to put a lot on the really bad dialogue they had to speak. It's George Lucas Phantom Menace level of bad dialogue. I'll stop now, because this movie deserves no more of my life or your time spent reading this review. Cheers.

The movie was boring and predictable, couldn't even finish it. Slater was not particularly inviting, the aristocrat had no personality, had no sexual excitement, was difficult to care who ended up sleeping with anyone since the plot was easily discerned after 20 minutes or so

This was, with out question, one outstanding movie. Jared Leto and Christian Slater played the principal roles, each superbly. An aristocratic heir, Leto, is led to fall in love with the woman of his dreams. Revenge for a girl's death is orchestrated by her brother, Slater, with the intent to bring dishonor to the aristocratic family. Playing on their sympathy for having saved Basil from drowning, Slater's character worms his way into the family and eventually introduces Basil to the woman of Basil's dreams. Little does Basil know that the woman is already married to Slater's character and he has been duped but good. Basil makes promises to her, and keeps them, only to be banished from the family and raise a daughter who is not really his. More to this then I care to reveal, but lots of suspense and well worth the time to watch again and again and again.

... so I watched this one too. Well, it wasn't all that bad, but truth to be told, it wasn't that special as well. The actors, not only incredibly gorgious Claire but also Jared Lehto (who is developing into being a very fine mime), know how to do their job and so the lack of originality in the story does not hurt too much. Still, I think the big drama and the element of surprise come short and the solution of the plot somehow seems to have been there before... Still, time is never wasted when perfect beauty is displayed. Claire Forlani, have a great career!

I give the movie "Basil" a very high 10+. I love time period films and think "Basil" is a wonderful movie. Jared Leto was fantastic in this movie. I love all of his work on the big screen, but I have to say that His portrayal as Basil in my opinion is one of his finest performances. This movie is not boring. It has a wonderful cast, wonderful story line, and the events that unfold, to a good watcher, will unfold from the very beginning. Jared Leto, Christian Slater, and Clair Forlani are just magnificent in this film. It's very tastefully done, and the scenery is beautiful. Proper in it's time, but still society itself was not at all proper. Aristicratic life was very demanding, and to this day, still is. In the end, we are all the same no matter what class we are brought up in. I congratulate the performances in this movie, and I would love to see more movies like "Basil" on the big screen. I highly recommend "Basil" to anyone who loves period films. Thank you.

Basil hooks up with the grungy Christian Slater, who helps hook him up with the object of his lust, played by Claire Forlani. And it all goes downhill from there. Seems like it might've been an ok Victoria melodrama to read, but on film, it's just boring.