ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ

Kenneth Branagh brings Shakespeare to the masses for a fifth time with As You Like It. It's a whimsical tale of lovers getting their stars and wires cross'd, but it lacks the zip and exuberance of his similarly themed 1993 adaptation of Much Ado About Nothing. Uprooting the Forest of Arden from France to 19th century Japan feels merely like set dressing and, although Bryce Dallas Howard is nicely poised in the lead role, this feels like a roundabout ramble in woods.

At the court of a not-so noble Duke (Brian Blessed) a Kabuki play sets the scene. The Duke's daughter Rosalind (Howard) and cousin Celia (Romola Garai) revel in the romance of it and, after a family row, proceed to scarper into the forest where they each get bitten by the love bug. Rosalind falls for Orlando (David Oyelowo) who's also smitten with her. Unfortunately for him, Rosalind is posing as a man to ward off trouble and she exploits the chance to test his passion.

"TOTAL INERTIA"

A feeble disguise (basically a haircut and a hat) makes it impossible to suspend disbelief when Rosalind, in full close-up, gazes into the eyes of her 'unwitting' lover. Instead of milking the mix-up for irony, Branagh's shortsightedness makes Oyelowo look like a total buffoon, and that's despite a subtle and heartfelt performance. Alfred Molina at least gets some legitimate laughs as the jester who drops carelessly worded pearls of wisdom. Kevin Kline brings a touch of pathos as the glum philosopher Jacques, ruminating on the seven ages of man ("All the world's a stage..."), but with the director setting such a leisurely pace, the seventh step into total inertia takes hold well before the curtain drops. In short, Branagh has managed to sap all the enchantment out of the forest.

As You Like It is out in the UK on 21st September 2007.