Tristan and Isolde

Rating PG-13 Formats DVD Genre drama Starring Staring James Franco, Sophia Myles, Rufus Sewell, and David O'Hara Directed by Kevin Reynolds Publisher 20th Century Fox External Links Official 20th Century Fox Website

Tristan & Isolde comes from an ancient, often reworked legend backed by a history of film adaptations spanning nearly a century. And it had been a back-burner project for executive producer Ridley Scott for about 30 years. After directing *Alien*, Scott almost did a sci-fi version set in outer space. But the waiting, as well as the decision to remain faithful to the medieval setting, have paid off. Hemmed in by budget constraints, director Kevin Reynolds' action romance succeeds at drawing more from less.

It is a task shared by the characters who must make the most of a bad situation. The story takes place in the seventh century. The Roman Empirehas fallen, and Ireland has conquered the feuding British tribes. Lord Marke of Cornwall(Rufus Sewell), the wisest of the warlords, tries to unite the tribes against their common enemy. Meanwhile Irish King Donnchadh (David O'Hara) does whatever is necessary to maintain his stronghold by keeping the tribes at odds. Born into the fray are Tristan (James Franco), an orphaned Briton taken in and raised by Marke, and Isolde (Sophia Myles), Donnchadh's daughter. Thus the Capulet/Montague comparison.

But the story shares fewer similarities with Romeo and Juliet than it does with the legend of King Arthur. When Tristan is injured in battle and mistaken for dead, his body is sent out to sea on a funeral boat. He washes ashore in Ireland where he is rescued and nursed back to health by Isolde who hides Tristan from her ruthless father. And when your method for reviving a half-dead hunk is naked cuddling, lust is sure to ensue. After their improbable introduction, Tristan is forced to leave Isolde and flee Ireland lest he be discovered and killed.

Meanwhile Donnchadh devises a tournament for which Isolde is the prize. Unwittingly Tristan wins Isolde for Marke, and the star-crossed lovers find themselves torn between their duty and their burning desire.

It's a harsh and chaotic world in which the course of men's lives is stained by blood. A skillful but battle-weary warrior, Tristan is loyal to Marke's vision for peace and unity. Having devoted his life to that single objective, it's fitting that Tristan only becomes aware of his carnal cravings during his temporary reprieve from the conflict. His love is transformative, and it renders his old life unrewarding. Isolde declares duty and honor the empty shells of a life without love, and Tristan is seduced by her philosophy. Meanwhile Isolde lives in a world where options for women are typically few and bleak. So when fate drops an agreeable young buck into her lap, you'd better believe she tries to hold on.

Marke is the Arthur prong of the love triangle for which Tristan and Isolde are this story's Lancelot and Guinnevere. Whereas Donnchadh's power rests on his ability to promote conflict, Marke struggles to convince Britons and Irish, alike, that a better world can be had through cooperation. He is a martyr to his cause, and Sewell imparts a nobility and tenderness that is both nuanced and convincing. Sewell is a better scene-stealer than Francoïwho remains teary-eyed and tortured for the duration of the film. Myles is also effective as she divides Isolde between a kind husband and a secret lover. You feel for all three characters as they fight (and fail) to eke out a middle ground between duty and happiness.

The characters Tristan and Isolde, in a vacuum, would have been a yawner. While the actors bring a palpable chemistry to the screen, it's the story of love's consequences in a primitive and predatory world that's interesting here.