Sparkless romance in 'Captain Corelli's Mandolin'

Joko E.H. Anwar, Contributor, Jakarta

There is always a danger, when translating a book into a film -- given its limited running time -- that such an effort will rarely succeed in capturing the complexity well-depicted in the book. This film is no exception.

The film tries to simplify the story of fascist countries' invasion of the island of Cephalonia, Greece, during World War II, into a romance. However, it offers only a sparkless love story instead. Those who have not read the book and do not have much expectation from the film are still unlikely to feel satisfied.

Penelope Cruz is always great to look at but the script fails to flesh out her character as a strong and innocent young woman whose world is turned upside down by war.

Nicholas Cage has played perfectly a wide range of characters in the past. He was a paranoid man in Vampire's Kiss and a naive, kind-hearted police officer in It Could Happen to You. He has also proved himself to be a great action hero after starring in several good and bad action movies. Still, he is not convincing enough as a romantic lead, an Italian captain whose tender, joyful soul does not suit his role in the war.

Even worse, there is only a little chemistry between the two lead characters, although they are two of the most attractive, charismatic performers in the film industry today.

However, the film is very beautifully shot, the thing that almost makes up for its lack of emotional punch. Had the film succeeded in contrasting the extreme beauty of the island's Mediterranean coast with the ugliness of war, it would have been a gripping thing to watch.

The film's opening promises much and the audience will immediately feel the joyous atmosphere. After all, it is always refreshing to see a period piece film shot in exotic locations, like the recent Chocolat.

John Hurt plays a doctor in the tranquil island and is one of the most respected people there. His daughter, Pelagia (Cruz), is involved in a relationship with Mandras (Bale), a fisherman who is considered nothing but trouble by his loving mother.

As the war becomes more intense, young men on the island volunteer to fight Italy in Albania. Mandras is among those who think there is nothing more important than patriotism. But just before he departs, he gets himself engaged to Pelagia.

After he has left, Pelagia does not hear from Mandras for a long time, and shortly after she has written him her 100th letter, to which he has not replied, Italian soldiers invade the island.

The highest-ranking soldier who comes to the island is mandolin-carrying Captain Antonio Corelli (Cage), who leads a legion of soldiers that used to work in opera.

Instead of scaring people on the island, the soldiers prove to be friendly and often act the fool in their efforts to ingratiate themselves with the islanders.

Within a short space of time, Pelagia and Antonio find themselves attracted to each other.

Overall, there is little emotional connection between the film's characters, even between Cruz and Hurt, who are supposed to have a very close, father-daughter relationship. This means that the audience is unconcerned if any of the film's characters have to be separated from each other as a consequence of the cruelty of war, as in Benigni's Life is Beautiful.

While it is true that there are several emotional and funny moments in the film, it is nonetheless still forgettable.

Captain Corelli's Mandolin, ** out of four stars; Drama/Romance, 131 minutes; Starring Penelope Cruz, Nicholas Cage, John Hurt, Christian Bale, Irene Papas; Directed by John Madden; A Universal Pictures presentation