The idea that monarchs held power by divine right might have seemed plausible centuries ago, but only as long as they could maintain the backing of the church, their spouse, and the influential nobles who were essential to keeping everything stable. When Edward II (Steven Waddington) disregards these crucial supports by openly displaying his lover Gaveston (Andrew Tiernan) at court, it appears to trigger something unusual in his kingdom. It seemed to unite almost everyone in a desire to reinstate proper order and force the boyfriend into exile. At first, the king attempts to enforce his dominance and even humiliates an archbishop (Dudley Sutton), but as his wife (Tilda Swinton) and her powerful lover Mortimer (Nigel Terry) become increasingly convinced that they can seize the crown with little opposition, things grow very dangerous for him and anyone who stands by him. Derek Jarman has significantly shortened Christopher Marlowe’s imagined play, combining twentieth-century visuals with more modern ones, and using a soundtrack in an inventive way to create a visually striking depiction of ultimate betrayal. I have to confess that I had difficulty connecting with it. I remember seeing this years ago and being quite bored then. Now, after three decades, I can probably recognize the artistry better, and my mind is perhaps more prepared for the intensity of the dialogue, but it remains a rather cold presentation of a story involving deception, violence, and desire. There’s nudity and simulated sexual encounters, but the connection between Waddington and Tiernan often felt like that of silent movie actors performing behind the scenes of a theater. The mix of production styles ultimately leaves the film suspended between two different approaches, and the narrative itself is too frequently overshadowed by stylistic choices, resulting in a very bare-bones account of this turbulent period in English history. Annie Lennox singing Cole Porter while the two men, dressed in pajamas, dance stands out as a memorable moment, but I’m afraid the rest feels rather shallow.

Source on TMDB