James Franco, as Tristan, has three expressions. One is a kind of doe-eyed longing, then there's the rage and the surly resignation. He also has an accent that is neither here nor there ('here' being British and 'there' being British). This is a problem.
Sophia Myles, as Isolde, on the other hand, portrays the princess in a much more complex way with just a turn of her eyebrows. So when you get one title character whose eyebrows out-act the other title character, you have a problem with balance.
Based on a Celtic legend that entwines feuding tribes, England vs Ireland (and for once Ireland is on top!) and the love triangle of a princess, her husband and his right hand man (literally), this film adaptation firmly irons out some of the loose threads that legends usually create through variations. As a child, Tristan is saved from death by Lord Marke, who loses his right hand in the rescue. Orphaned Tristan, ever grateful, returns to Cornwall with Marke and becomes his most trusted er, knight, and is treated like a son - and in many ways treated much better than Marke's nephew. Blah, blah, blah, battle, blah, blah, blah. Tristan is thought dead but then his wounds are healed by a mysterious Irish girl (who we know is a princess) and is then sent home. In short, Tristan wins a tournament for Isolde's hand in marriage on behalf of Lord Marke. Blah, blah, blah, trysts and lies.
The tragedy of love is evident throughout the film, from the moment Tristan meets Isolde and learns he is in Ireland (after all, when your countries are at war it's a bit hard to convince dad to accept the guy who just killed your best warrior) and then in their forbidden love throughout Marke and Isolde's marriage. Love unravels the couple and unravels the weak unity that Marke has rustled up behind him to resist the Irish.
However, there is much to be said about the love that Tristan owes and delivers to Marke and vice versa, which makes the betrayal a lot deeper than the usual triangle. Love and duty ricochet between all three corners to all other corners - Tristan loves, and owes his life to, both Marke and Isolde, Isolde projects a certain liberty through her love for Tristan but cannot hate the kindly Marke and Marke honours Tristan as a son and without Tristan's loyalty, could not have won Isolde's hand in marriage. Oh dear.
Although love is at the foreground, it is echoed in the war around it. At times it indicates loyalty, such as between Marke and Tristan, which, when fractured with betrayal at the introduction of Isolde, mirrors the fractured betrayal of the uneasy alliance between the tribes. Isolde's initial love for Tristan gives him strength, but when it is taken away at her marriage to Marke, it becomes his weakness (and presumably that's why he made a load of bad decisions). Similarly, Isolde's reluctance to be betrothed to the brutish commander her father has chosen (pre-Tristan) reverberates with his death while her enamoured hope for Tristan brings him through the tournament a victor.
Rufus Sewell is perfect as the gracious Lord Marke; his good nature is not doormat territory and yet Sewell plays Marke with a certain vulnerability that Franco's Tristan cannot seem to reflect. Franco oscillates between sullen and fightey while Myles is positively radiant in her appearances. The lush scenery is the winner, though, and the portrayal of Dark Ages England/Ireland seems authentic right from the very start. Combine grubby castles with sweeping bleak seascapes and firelit interiors and the mythic quality is delivered in the right way.
*** - cinematography steals the show in this legendary tale
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