Alexis Denisof and Amy Acker as Benedict and Beatrice
“MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING” My rating: B- (Now showing at the Glenwood Arts)
107 minutes | MPAA rating: PG-13
Making superhero movies with budgets bigger than the GNP of a Third World country is undoubted an amusing pastime.
But apparently after a while even a legendary geek-pleaser like Joss Whedon (TV’s ”Buffy,” the big screen’s “Avengers” and “Thor”) feels the need for a simple, uncomplicated palate cleanser.
Thus “Much Ado About Nothing” which is, of course, Shakespeare’s great comedy about a bickering duo who are cannily manipulated into each other’s arms by their amused friends and relations.
Twenty years ago Kenneth Branagh gave us a more-or-less definitive film version (inasmuch as any performance of Shakespeare can be definitive). Whedon’s isn’t that good, but it’ll do.
A recap for the Bard-deprived: Don Pedro (Reed Diamond) returns victorious from war and decides to spend some time chilling out on the estate of Leonato (Clark Gregg). Accompanying him are his officers Benedick (Alexis Denisof) and Claudio (Fran Kranz), as well as Don Pedro’s rebellious brother Don John (Sean Maher), who is their prisoner.
Claudio immediately falls for Leonato’s daughter Hero (Jillian Morgese) and a wedding is planned.
Meanwhile Benedict and Hero’s cousin Beatrice (Amy Acker) carry on a war of insults. It’s pretty obvious to everyone but themselves that their verbal sparring is a form of foreplay, and before long there’s a conspiracy afoot to drive these “enemies” into each other’s arms.
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