Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

Anonymous Blu-ray Movie Review

'The most performed playwright of all time,' but who is he?

Reviewed by Martin Liebman January 31, 2012

I mean to make you the most popular and therefore most monetarily successful playwright in all of London.

The true authorship of the works attributed to William Shakespeare and the dark, conniving, even incestuous politics of Elizabethan England seem more within the sphere and capability of someone like a Kenneth Branagh, a filmmaker and classically-trained actor best known for his Shakespearean productions and other tales hailing form classic literature or mythology, like Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and, to a lesser but still somewhat applicable extent, Thor. Such Shakespearean-centered stories, however, seem not from the mind of Roland Emmerich, the filmmaker who has spent his entire career producing grandiose pictures in which monsters, natural disasters, lasers, aliens, action, and special effects rule the day, hardly the stuff of Costume Dramas and his Anonymous certainly a rather startling departure from machismo, adrenaline-charged fare like 2012, Independence Day, and Godzilla. Then again, crossover filmmaking seems on its way in, so who knows, maybe Anonymous is but a setup for Mr. Emmerich's next film, God Save the Queen!, featuring an alien army employing tectonic weapons against Victorian England.

Will.You.Are?

The film opens in modern-day New York where a stage production of Anonymous is about to begin. The audience is told that Shakespeare's works represent "the ultimate expressions of humanity in the English language," yet there remains unsettled controversy surrounding the works' true authorship. Did the man named William Shakespeare -- a mere actor of plays, a man believed to be of little formal education, a man who died illiterate at the age of 52, a man whose will contained no mention of his written works -- actually pen what were then and are still now considered the seminal works of the English language? Or was there another hand holding quill, a man of higher education and standing in Elizabethan England who chose, for reasons perhaps known and perhaps unknown, to pen his works under an assumed name? English Actor Derek Jacobi asks his audience to consider the facts as presented in Anonymous, disputed facts to be sure yet enlightening assumptions that may further shed light on but one of many conspiracy theories, one of dozens of presumptions, one of several hypotheses of an age and a story, "a different story, a darker story of quills and swords, of power and of betrayal, of a stage conquered, and a throne lost."

Flash backwards to Elizabethan England. The famed Globe Theatre has been burned to the ground, and Playwright Benjamin Johnson (Sebastian Armesto) has been arrested on suspicion of possessing plays allegedly penned by one Edward de Vere, the 17th Earl of Oxford. Johnson denies all knowledge, of course, though he does admit that he is indeed a playwright. Nevertheless, and further backwards in time, it's revealed that de Vere (Rhys Ifans) did indeed task Johnson with placing his name on the Earl's written works. His reputation as a nobleman in good standing; his marriage to Anne Cecil (Helen Baxendale), whose father William (David Thewlis), a political rival, strongly disapproves of and views as sinful theatre and poetry; and the very political nature of the written word mean he cannot have the works attributed to him. Johnson agrees, and the plays are a success; nevertheless, a third party -- a man by the name of William Shakespeare (Rafe Spall), a man with knowledge of the de Vere-Johnson relationship -- takes credit for the works before a packed house of dazzled fans. Meanwhile, Queen Elizabeth I (Vanessa Redgrave) is dying. She has no heirs to the throne -- no publicly-known, legitimate heirs, anyway -- and a battle for succession rages behind the scenes. On one side is de Vere and Henry Wriothesley, the 3rd Earl of Southampton (Xavier Samuel), the latter of whom is the queen's bastard son. On the other is de Vere's father-in-law and his son, the 1st Earl of Salisbury, Robert Cecil (Edward Hogg), championing James, son of Mary, Queen of Scots. As the stage is electrified with de Vere's works and the dark political dealings slowly converge with the plays de Vere pens, terrible truths are revealed and the fate of the Kingdom hangs in the balance.

Never mind the historical accuracy of Anonymous. The film's very premise -- and the Shakespeare controversy itself -- dismisses common knowledge, be it fictional or factual, in favor of a controversy few outside of the classical literature intellectual circles probably even known about. That the movie in this form has even been made by its definition signals a departure from what modern man knows -- or claims or believes to know -- to be the historical "truths" of the era. It's a movie that attempts to fill in the gaps of the cracked course of history, and credit the filmmakers for tackling a true and interesting conspiracy theory rather than dabbling in some futile effort to reshape some more commonly accepted historical truth to suit an agenda. In that way, it's perhaps best thought of as something of a 16th century JFK, but with quill and stage rather than bullet and grassy knoll. It's a movie meant to polarize and cast doubt, not reinforce common knowledge or belief. The filmmakers admit as much, taking license with historical fact to present their case, recognizing that in all depictions of history there is some artificiality, even in creating tales of yesterday, let alone tales of centuries past. With that in mind, it seems more fair to judge Anonymous on its technical merits and storytelling prowess rather than argue with its theory as to the true identity of the works credited to "William Shakespeare," for again the movie caters to and champions one of many hypotheses and not universally-accepted fact.

With that said, there can be no doubt that Anonymous oozes style. The picture's technical merits and polish are both above reproach, and the entirety of the movie -- from a visual and aural perspective -- is irrefutably convincing. The film meshes countless digital background effects shots with live-action performances and creates an absolutely seamless representation of Elizabethan England; most viewers will fail to note that much of the movie is indeed digital rather than practical. The accompanying photography is dazzling, too; Emmerich and crew paint a darkly alluring portrait of a bygone era, making excellent use of shadow, setting, and style to reinforce both the political and authorship dramas that plays out and ultimately entwine by film's end. The performances are true, with each lead looking and sounding the part, precisely delivering from an equally precise and sharp script. There's not a bad performance in the movie; Rhys Ifans is spectacular as the supposed poet denied his due credit, while Vanessa Redgrave handles the challenging role of an aging queen with a shockingly lurid past with care and balance.

On the other hand, Anonymous isn't a movie that will enjoy broad-base appeal. It's as dramatically stuffy as the driest Costume Dramas out there, certainly straying from the typical Emmerich style but capturing the very essence of this sort of picture with uncanny precision. Unfortunately, it's far too overwrought, even for a complex period piece; even audiences with a baseline knowledge of the players and the timeframe may require more than one viewing to sort it all out, and anyone coming in blind beyond a reading of "Romeo and Juliet" in high school will be lost within minutes. Fortunately, Anonymous does prove more palatable and comprehensible with a second watch, though even then the most complex pieces of the plot, the most dynamic character elements, and the ultimate convergence of plays and politics remains ever-so-slightly hazy. Emmerich's film simply throws in too many characters, far too frequently alters its timeline, and crams way too much exposition and far too many straying plot lines into its two-plus hour runtime. Essentially, Anonymous proves a bit too ambitious for its own good, blending two stories that require far more breathing room than even the lengthy runtime allows. It may have worked better as a miniseries rather than a feature-length film, where the background could have been better developed, the characters more naturally rounded, and the story made more decipherable.

Anonymous Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Anonymous' story might leave audiences a bit baffled; not so with the accompanying 1080p transfer. Sony's done it again, providing a new release film with a nearly faultless Blu-ray presentation. The movie was shot digitally, and it does show a bit of that glossy, flat texture associated with that format. Blacks, while usually solid and deep, aren't always spot-on perfect. A minuscule amount of aliasing is visible in one scene, but that's pretty much the sum total of anything "negative" there is to say about this one. The film's opening New York City exterior is amazing; the overhead view offers crisp details, definition, and colors even at a distance. Inside the theatre, the quality of the image dazzles, even more so as it seamlessly transitions back in time to the Elizabethan era. The transfer captures the finest details on period costumes and set pieces, whether more tattered cloths or sharper, more handsome aristocratic garb. Wooden planks, decorative accents, even the mud in the streets appears highly complex and natural in appearance. Facial detail is wonderful; the aging Queen's wrinkly and bony body looks almost too authentic, and clarity is so strong that poor makeup shows up as globular rather than natural. Colors are rather reserved, the picture dark and dim, its brighter scenes more warm than vibrant. As it is, however, the transfer captures the intended look of the film spectacularly. Anonymous plays beautifully and looks marvelous in high definition.

Anonymous Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Anonymous delivers an involved and precise DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack. The early scene inside the modern playhouse is a sonic marvel. Its strength stems from its simplicity; dialogue reverberates throughout the soundstage with uncanny precision, while well-placed coughs seamlessly transport the listener into the audience. As the action shifts backwards in time, the track only continues to dazzle. Anonymous plays with a very wide, immersing soundstage. Each element, no matter how prominent or how reserved, plays with pinpoint clarity and placement. Ambience is superb, whether crowds at plays, natural and enveloping exterior elements, or dialogue lightly echoing through cavernous rooms. Directional effects are precise, making fine use of the entire stage; the "tennis" match early in the film is a great example, the ball bouncing off virtual walls created by the speakers all around the listening area. Gunshots and cannon blasts heard near the end of the film play with precision authority and a deep low end. Music is crisp and accurate, playing with fine clarity and seamless spacing. Dialogue is clean, though sometimes lost under the heaviest surrounding elements. For a talk-heavy Period Drama, this track proves quite immersive and oftentimes spellbinding in accuracy and authenticity.

Anonymous Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Anonymous contains a nice little assortment of extras, including an audio commentary, a trio of deleted scenes, and three featurettes.

• Audio Commentary: Director Roland Emmerich and Writer John Orloff deliver a steady and enlightening commentary, speaking on the importance of the film's modern-day open, the necessity of fiction in the portrayal of supposed historical fact, dramatic licenses in the film, the work of the cast and crew, the specifics behind crafting and shooting various scenes, the purpose of the film's dramatic elements, the costuming, technical details of the digital photography, set design, special effects, and much more. This is a good companion track that fans should enjoy.
• Deleted Scenes (1080p, 2:54): "Use Your Imagination Robert," Ben Visits the Earl of Oxford, and Funeral Scenes.
• Extended Scenes (1080p, 3:29): Tennis Match and The Mermaids Tavern.
• More Than Special Effects (1080p, 13:08): A detailed look at the film's digital and practical recreations of 16th century locations.
• Who is the Real William Shakespeare? (1080p, 10:39): Cast and crew discuss the evidence presented in the movie that Shakespeare didn't write Shakespeare.
• Speak the Speech... (1080p, 16:14): A detailed look at casting the film's critical roles.
• Previews: Additional Sony titles.
• BD-Live.

Anonymous Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Anonymous never quite sorts itself out well enough to be of much value on a first viewing; it's complex to a fault and will leave many viewers uncertain of what they've watched or why they've watched it. On the other hand, the film is gorgeous, well made and nicely acted. It tells a story that should be riveting but that is instead lost to excess stuffiness and too much ambition. It needs more breathing room and a gentler hand to lead viewers on a journey that is worth taking, but that in this exact format requires a fair bit of pre- and post-movie study if one is to appreciate all it has to offer. As for its advancing of the de Vere authorship theory, Anonymous does a fair job of presenting a fictionalized account of what might have been. It's convincing because the filmmakers paint it as such with no opposing viewpoints, presenting it as fact in the guise of fiction. If nothing else, it may spur on interested audiences to dig deeper and come to their own conclusions, using the film as a springboard rather than gospel. Sony's Blu-ray release of Anonymous, no surprise, is excellent. Top-grade video and audio are supported by a fair array of extra content. Recommended to audiences with an interest in Shakespearean and Elizabethan history.