AC Mack – Google

Looks nice. Animation is very good. It’s just REALLY dull. Some main characters are unintentionally charmless. Instead of putting a warm, rich STORY together - something enduring - it felt like in the first 15 minutes you were being prodded in the chest with every ‘right on’ trope or message going. Just comes across cynically contrived and tedious. A few nice things in it - but it’s a forgettable non-classic. I’m not religious - but I grew up with it and I found the ‘twists’ on the nativity eye-rollingly hackneyed. Just leave it alone. You don’t have to twist it in to some sociopolitical point. Stop the need to be ‘on trend’ - make a classic. Something enduring, without the persistent dull virtue signalling.

Felt the casting and interpretation was really weak. The original assumed it was talking to an intelligent audience. Subtle acting. Highly believable actors. Edward Fox looked like someone who had done some time as an officer in the Guards - then SF - and was now a well connected mercenary. Michael Lonsdale - subtle and intelligent acting as thinking, dedicated detective. Cerebral rather than muscular. Neither the Jackal nor the Hunter were particularly believable in this. Both seemed like office based media professionals doing moody imitations of ‘hardened’ double espresso drinkers. The Jackel was never ex military in this one - perhaps a Guardian supplement intern (through a well placed relative’s connections) No soul or physicality. No real hard edge. The tactical movement was poor and unrealistic. At one stage when the Hunter detained a supposedly hardened Ulster loyalist and placed an unconditioned, lazy toe on his chest - it became laughable. Some nice cinematography (apart from the hackneyed Bullitt titles and overuse of The Best of Radiohead). Bad record choices from artists used in Peaky Blinders soundtrack. For an expensive production the poor acting, obvious dialogue and miscasting meant it felt like a bad quality fodder Channel 5 cop show - written by someone living in a loft conversion in Spitalfields.

Having enjoyed the wonderful narration of Alan Maitland - Frederick Forsythe’s atmospheric Christmas ghost story… I was very interested in what Hollywood would do. It started well. Rushed the middle where tension builds. Presented ‘The Shepherd’ as a Canadian in his 70s?! (John Travolta) (Weird) JK must have been a young pilot in his 20s/30s - perhaps at a push - 40s. Could have been far better with an unknown younger actor taking the ghosts role. Movie was ‘meh’ compared to story Unnecessarily changed parts of the story to include another ghost in an abandoned airfield? Strange decisions. Did John Travolta ask for these? I think FF is capable of telling a good enough story.

I really can’t find adjectives to describe how I felt/feel when I watch this exquisite thing. Every. Single. Image. Like a Gainsborough or Turner or Vermeer. Landscape. Sky. Candlelight. Windows and sumptuous wardrobe - all balanced to perfection. It feels like a Rake’s Progress through a flawless lens. The pulse of Schubert against a seduction achieved through eye contact at a gaming table is perfection. It’s just a masterpiece.