As epic adventures go, The Four Feathers is adequate. Technically and visually the battle scenes are spectacular. There is an adrenaline rush when the armies collide, separate, then crash together again. Some of the shots of the deserts are breathtaking. The credit goes to the natural beauty of the landscape rather than to the competence of the director Shekhar Kapur. But, the story fails to build and drive forward the way it should. The tone is uneven, with the narrative advancing in fits and starts. This coupled with the intrusive score by James Horner (who seems to just be repeating his theme from Titantic) and an ending the drags on as long as the main body of the film, and The Four Feathers falls short of what one might reasonably expect.
At the outset, it appears that The Four Feathers may take a revisionist history of the British Empire and Imperialism. However, it quickly dispels that notion, opting instead for a straightforward telling of events. This is the kind of adventure that doesn't want audiences asking about "right" and "wrong". On this level, war is not seen from a political or moral perspective. Rather, it is presented as a fraternity in the trenches. The view is simplistic, and it reduces the film to little more than an action movie. Unfortunately, because the action comes irregularly and is punctuated by periods of character-building and exposition, the production stumbles.
The cast for The Four Feathers is assembled with the intent of drawing the teenage crowd rather than obtaining the best actors for the roles. Heath Ledger and Wes Bentley are both fine in their parts, but neither crafts a memorable character. A standout is Djimon Hounsou, who as Abou comes across as an almost mystical seer who is ready to save the day at any moment. Another standout is Kate Hudson, but for all the wrong reasons. Her performance is awful and her clumsy acting is further damaged by her failed attempts to employ a now-you-hear-it-now-you-don't British accent. A tighter version of this story may kept my interest and earn a strong recommendation, but as it is with the proceedings wandering like a riderless camel in the desert, I can only rate it an okay movie.
Porculus