The Four Feathers

Starring: Heath Ledger, Wes Bentley, Kate Hudson, Djimon Hounsou
Directed by: Shekhar Kapur
Rating: R
Genre: Action, Drama, Romance
Box Office: $18,306,166
2002

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: The seventh filming of A.E.W. Mason's 1902 novel tells the tale of promising soldier (Heath Ledger) who resigns from the British army the day before his regiment is to be sent to the Sudan. His friends give him four white feathers, symbolizing his cowardice, and his fiance (Kate Hudson) leaves him, afraid of what people would say about their marriage. The soldier must them redeem himself by becoming a Muslim warrior, and setting out for the Sudan in order to save the life of his best friend (Wes Bentley), and regain his honor.

Review:
Tim: Before I begin with this film, I must mention that I am a huge fan of Heath Ledger. I respect him more than any upcoming young actor in Hollywood. He was unbelievable in 10 Things I Hate About You, The Patriot, and A Knight's Tale. He seems to make exactly the type of films I enjoy, so I've been following his career for sometime now. I'll admit the sole reason for me watching this film was to see if Ledger would continue to amaze me.

That being said, I can tell you that I have been amazed once again. While I don't believe this film ranks up with his others, it is still very good. Ledger does a remarkable job, especially in his transformation into a Muslin. Several times through the film I had to blink my eyes, to make sure the dirty, dark-haired, and bearded man before me really was Heath Ledger. He gives a powerful performance, and makes the film exciting. The Four Feathers is also blessed with an incredible supporting cast. Wes Bentley gives a terrific performance, and I was completely astounded by him. I'm going to see if I can find some of his other work, because he is really quite good. Also, Kate Hudson gives a great performance. I loved her in Almost Famous, and she was decent in Dr. T and the Women, and once again here, she sparkles. The cast was not only believable, but incredible to watch.

As I have not seen any of the previous filmings of this story, I don't know how it compares to past attempts. However, I can say the 2002 attempt at Mason's classic is filled with intense suspense and action. The battle scenes are amazing, and you truly feel as if you're watching a British war in the Sudan during the early 20th century.

While I may be a bit biased because of my admiration for Ledger, I really did enjoy this movie. I admit it had several flaws, and occasionally dragged along, but that is a common fault in movies. I recommend seeing this film, even if its not perfect. You can definitely do worse with your time, and you might just learn a little bit about British military history as well.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Almost Famous, 10 Things I Hate About You, A Knight's Tale, The Patriot, Soul Survivors, Dr. T and the Women