Director John Madden's last film was "Shakespeare in Love," a widely praised Oscar-winner full of life and wit. Apparently,
Madden used up everything he had in that film, as his new one, "Captain Corelli's Mandolin," is sluggish, dull and altogether mediocre -- in other words, the polar opposite of "Shakespeare in Love." I can understand not wanting to fall into a rut, but this is ridiculous. "Captain Corelli's Mandolin" is set on the beautiful Greek island of Cephallonia in 1940. A wise doctor (John Hurt) stands around and says wise things like, "We should not ask why we are wounded; only if the wound can be healed," while his hot daughter Pelagia (Penelope Cruz) flirts with local boy Mandras (Christian Bale). Mandras has to go off to fight the war, which leaves Pelagia free at home to fall in love with the titular mandolinier, an Italian soldier stationed on the island. Corelli (Nicolas Cage) spends most of his time organizing his men into a formidable opera choir, which somehow fails to make them fearsome enemies when the Nazis show up. He also winds up living with the doctor and Pelagia, in a classic maneuver you will recall from "Three's Company."
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