x The Story : When gallant Don Pedro (Denzel Washington), his nefarious brother Don John (Keanu Reeves), and close confidantes Claudio (Robert Sean Leonard) and Benedick (Kenneth Branagh) ride thunderously into the Sicilian village of Messina, romance, gaiety, and suspicion abound. The men have returned safely from a war, and soon everyone in the sun-drenched villa is abuzz with thoughts of love. Claudio, enamored of the purity of the nubile Hero (Kate Beckinsale), entreats Don Pedro to woo the maiden on his behalf that evening at a masked ball. Once he's managed the successful betrothal of Hero to Claudio, Don Pedro has another plot in mind: he plans to trick Hero's bantering cousin Beatrice (Emma Thompson) and sworn bachelor Benedick into acknowledging they've fallen in love. Meanwhile, the villainous Don John, driven by contempt for his compatriots, has hatched a plot of his own: to fool Claudio and Don Pedro into believing Hero is unchaste.

x Takes on Emma :": Emma Thompson, who, in addition to her caustic delivery of Beatrice's withering put-downs of men, conveys a convincing sense of wounded rage and loyalty when her cousin Hero is unjustly defamed by the visiting soldiers. No one in movies today conveys decency and sincerity with less self-righteousness than Emma Thompson. ":
----Stephen Farber @ movieline.com

x ":Branagh and real-life spouse Emma Thompson play Benedick and Beatrice, mental sparring partners that put even Burton and Taylor to shame"
----David N Butterworth @ imdb.com

x Links