Moview Review: Marie Antoinette

Marie Antoinette (2006, On DVD)
This adaptation of the historical account of Marie Antoinette stars Kirsten Dunst (Spiderman) as the transplanted princess who weds Louis XVI in an arranged marriage between France and Austria. Her legendary life of excess and lavish lifestyle is visually described as she wanders through a strange marriage and an elite society that is severely entrenched in protocol and tradition. More than anything, the film gives an interesting overview of the odd habits of the ruling class and royal family, and how out-of-touch they were with the common citizen. The film is visually enjoyable to watch in terms of architecture and costuming, but it is a rather slow watch, and it is very difficult to connect with the characters as dialogue is sparse and strained. Dunst herself seems miscast, and many times seems to be sleepwalking through the part. Granted, this may be the point, as the true account of this couple is that they were thrown together in their teens, obsessively scrutinized, and expected to essentially run a country from a combined perspective of naiveté and disconnected privilege. As Antoinette, Dunst is not a believable character, but the historical Antoinette was not believable as a ruler, so that may be a fair representation. One other odd feature of this film is the soundtrack, which features 1980’s pop-rock hits from bands like New Order, The Cure, and Bow Wow Wow. This is again an interesting spin on the story, much like taking an immature teenager and making her President, but the odd mix of songs just doesn’t mesh well with what you are seeing on the screen. This film is rated PG-13 for content and innuendo. (1 ½ Stars out of 4) Enjoyable for Mom: Maybe.