Very disappointing. The script suffers from extreme tell-a-life-story-in-two-scenes-itus leaving any tension or drama on the cutting room floor. Slater and Leto, who can normally make the best of bad writing, appear wooden and passionless. And Claire Forlani, who requires the intense drama of CSI to evoke any feeling, is preposterous as the love interest. One cannot believe she would tempt Leto to risk tuppence let alone his entire fortune, family and lifestyle. Not even the mighty weight of Derek Jacobi can make his character convincing. There is no mystery and no intrigue, which leaves the viewer with no care for what happens next. Dreary mood lighting supposedly meant to make the film dark, merely lends credence to the assumption that a minimal budget meant they couldn't afford professional lighting. With so many other excellent period dramas available, it is little wonder this movie ended up in the bargain bin.
Review of Basil
