It's easy to recall the three films from 1995—"Braveheart," "Rob Roy," and "First Knight"—but “Tristan + Isolde” surpasses them all, or at least measures up favorably. The movie shares a storyline with "First Knight," involving the king’s confidant having an affair with his young wife, yet it's simply better overall. James Franco portrays the melancholy Tristan, who has ample reason to be gloomy, except when he finds solace in Isolde's embrace in secret. Sophia Myles performs well as Princess Isolde of Ireland, given as a present to the British king, Marke (Rufus Sewell). Also featured are Marke’s nephew, Melot (Henry Cavill), who is overlooked by the king in favor of Tristan; David O'Hara as the malevolent Irish king, Donnchadh; and the dishonorable Wictred (Mark Strong). These characters are all well-developed and memorable. While there are some artificial plot points, the story—adapted from the medieval romantic legend—is understandable and quite captivating. The locations (Ireland) and cinematography are stunning. The musical score is also good. However, this film isn't just visually and aurally appealing; it’s beautiful in its own right, even with the brutal violence, bloodshed, and betrayal present. It has a similar feel to "The Last of the Mohicans" (1992) and lacks the rough edges of "Rob Roy." Some have criticized James Franco's portrayal of Tristan as overly morose, but that’s actually an essential part of the narrative. Should he have played Tristan as happy about the fact that the only woman he’s ever loved has become the king's wife, a gift from Ireland? The complicated adulterous situation could likely have been avoided if either Tristan or Isolde had simply revealed the truth about their relationship before Isolde married the king, but it isn't always simple to do this, particularly when you are young and inexperienced. By “inexperienced,” I don’t mean unintelligent, but rather lacking in wisdom and life skills that come with age. There is also a lot to be gained from the tragedy: everyone desires validation; never trust someone with a history of dishonesty; sincere apology and regret; the inherent yearning for freedom and "true love," among other things. Despite being released in 2006, filming took place two years earlier, between September and October 2003. The film’s running time is 2 hours and 5 minutes, and it was filmed primarily in west-central Ireland at Connemara, County Galway. Exterior scenes were shot in the Czech Republic at Pruhonice Park and Castle, Krivoklat, and Prague. GRADE: A

Source on TMDB