I have to admit I was a bit disappointed with this. I wasn’t a massive fan of the book and, because it’s about cinema, I thought there was a real chance this would be one of those rare occasions where the movie adaptation could be better than the book. Not so.
I’ll give Scorcese credit for making it look awesome - it’s maybe the first time I’ve felt 3D was being genuinely used to create mise-en-scéne rather than an “experience” - but honestly I didn’t think the story was too engaging when I first read it and Scorcese’s version didn’t do anything to change my mind. In fact, I’m fairly sure it only took me a little longer to read the book than to watch the movie, so it didn’t even have economy on its side.
So yeah, it’s really not that bad, but considering the book is a rewarding visual experience in itself, it’s a shame Scorcese couldn’t bring more to the table.
Grade: **
