The Crucible is hard to adapt to the big screen. It's a long script, and has to be handled in a very particular way or risks being laughable. This production wasn't laughable, but what it was was middle-of-the-road in many aspects.
The acting is pitch perfect in some scenes, mainly those representing Act 3 and 4, where the tension is high. However, at lower tensions various actors come across as somewhat bored (such as Joan Allen as Elizabeth Proctor, whos relationship with Proctor initially showed like a school play on screen, with very little chemistry) however this was picked up well by the end. Daniel Day Lewis wasn't perfect as the character. He displayed great care towards Abigail and virtually none for Elizabeth in their first scene together, which makes it look like Proctor wants Abigail more, the exact opposite of the play's intention. Various lines were delivered wrong, and various character interpretations felt contrived (Mary Warren does not start crying hysterically instantly when she sees Proctor, read the play Karron Graves.) but overall, by the end the acting feels balanced enough to be... just below good.
The use of lighting, sound, and set was far too naturalistic for my taste. They could have really built up the tension with creative imagery, editing, some good score, a bit more style that would give the representation of Salem more substance. It all feels very normal, which takes away from the theme of hysteria that is supposed to have taken over the whole town. I'm not saying they needed a CGI extravaganza or a Zack Snyder "Sucker Punch" style movie (although the latter would be really interesting, actually) but a bit more flair was necessary. In my opinion, anyway.
Finally, the addition of scenes: Again, very mixed in results. The scene in the woods? Well done, well shot, creates a good atmosphere and actually adds to Abigail's character early on. The end scene with the Lord's prayer? Really solid, interesting, poignant, and historically accurate to one person actually hung in Salem. The scene where Proctor confronts Abigail in the woods? No. That showed a complete lack of understanding of the text. Elizabeth being arrested in the play was a result of Proctor being selfish and NOT putting what was right over his desire to keep a good name and not to hurt Abigail despite knowing what she did was wrong, and this scene missed the mark so hard it wasn't even funny, it kind of made me cringe and say "No! You were going so well!"
Like I said, it's moderate. The acting's okay, but not great (apart from Winona Ryder as Abigail. She, in my opinion, was perfect) the technical aspects are accurate, but very uninteresting, and the addition of scenes sometimes misses the mark. Was it as bad as some adaptations of great plays? No. But that doesn't mean it deserves more praise than it gets. The movie was fine, but the play was brilliant, and that's what stings the most about this movie.
The acting is pitch perfect in some scenes, mainly those representing Act 3 and 4, where the tension is high. However, at lower tensions various actors come across as somewhat bored (such as Joan Allen as Elizabeth Proctor, whos relationship with Proctor initially showed like a school play on screen, with very little chemistry) however this was picked up well by the end. Daniel Day Lewis wasn't perfect as the character. He displayed great care towards Abigail and virtually none for Elizabeth in their first scene together, which makes it look like Proctor wants Abigail more, the exact opposite of the play's intention. Various lines were delivered wrong, and various character interpretations felt contrived (Mary Warren does not start crying hysterically instantly when she sees Proctor, read the play Karron Graves.) but overall, by the end the acting feels balanced enough to be... just below good.
The use of lighting, sound, and set was far too naturalistic for my taste. They could have really built up the tension with creative imagery, editing, some good score, a bit more style that would give the representation of Salem more substance. It all feels very normal, which takes away from the theme of hysteria that is supposed to have taken over the whole town. I'm not saying they needed a CGI extravaganza or a Zack Snyder "Sucker Punch" style movie (although the latter would be really interesting, actually) but a bit more flair was necessary. In my opinion, anyway.
Finally, the addition of scenes: Again, very mixed in results. The scene in the woods? Well done, well shot, creates a good atmosphere and actually adds to Abigail's character early on. The end scene with the Lord's prayer? Really solid, interesting, poignant, and historically accurate to one person actually hung in Salem. The scene where Proctor confronts Abigail in the woods? No. That showed a complete lack of understanding of the text. Elizabeth being arrested in the play was a result of Proctor being selfish and NOT putting what was right over his desire to keep a good name and not to hurt Abigail despite knowing what she did was wrong, and this scene missed the mark so hard it wasn't even funny, it kind of made me cringe and say "No! You were going so well!"
Like I said, it's moderate. The acting's okay, but not great (apart from Winona Ryder as Abigail. She, in my opinion, was perfect) the technical aspects are accurate, but very uninteresting, and the addition of scenes sometimes misses the mark. Was it as bad as some adaptations of great plays? No. But that doesn't mean it deserves more praise than it gets. The movie was fine, but the play was brilliant, and that's what stings the most about this movie.