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DVD REVIEW: MY BOY JACK

04/19/08

“My Boy Jack”, based a poem by Rudyard Kipling (David Haig) tells the story of Rudyard’s unabashed love for the British Empire. Rudyard feared that the Germans with their massive army posed a great threat to everything the British had built. As a result, he wants to encourage every able body man to fight in what is know as World War I. Rudyard also wants his son, John Kipling (Daniel Radcliffe ), to fight and so he signs him up for The Royal Navy, but because of his severe myopia he is not accepted. Rudyard next tries to enlist his son in the army, but he is told that his myopia makes him a danger to the other man and himself. Using this connection, Rudyard finally enlist his son in the Irish Guard. Rudyard wife Caroline Kipling (Kim Cattrall) is furious, although, John proves an able shooter but only with his glasses on. He soon moves to the rank of squad leader. However, John is soon reported missing in “The Battle of Loos” and his father is left with second thoughts.

David Haig is perfectly cast in the role of Rudyard Kipling, and why not? It is a role that he knows well as he wrote the stage play for “My Boy Jack” and the film’s screenplay and he played Rudyard Kipling in both. Daniel Radcliffe performance was also very good and I didn’t ever think about Harry Potter when I first saw him. Well, maybe, for the first few minutes. Kim Cattrall also did a decent job here, however it was hard to see her as a respectable women after seeing her as Samantha in “Sex and the City“.

The main problem with the movie is that they didn’t do much in translating the stage play to a movie and the result is that the movie is not very exciting. It is sort of like watching a stage play on TV. The only scenes that seem made for the movie are those where John Kipling is in battle and ever here the action is lackluster. The decision to make this a direct to TV movie was a good one, as I don’t think this movie would have had a chance at the box-office.

The DVD includes interviews with David Haig, Daniel RadCliffe and Kim Cattrall and a hodgepodges of 4 delete scenes. For a movie that was shown on TV, they should have included many more features to give the people a reason to purchase the DVD. Given how popular Rudyard Kipling was and how interesting his story is, I don’t think that would have been hard to do.
 

Review By Brad Peterson 
brad@smartcine.com

VIDEO:
Anamorphic Widescreen (1:78:1)

AUDIO:
English, 5.1 (Dolby Digital).
Subtitles - English 

 

SPECIAL FEATURES:

Interviews - an interview with David Haig, Daniel Radcliff, and Kim Cattrall discussing what this movie meant to them. (24:17)

Deleted Scenes
- 4 delete scenes are present him however they are mashed together and not separated by title. The most in interesting is the last one starting around the 3:45 mark and features Rudyard Kipling address the people about how it they have to do more. (6:18)

RATING BREAK DOWN:

FILM REVIEW
VIDEO
AUDIO
BONUS FEATURES


 

People Movie Review My Boy Jack

 

PM

60

I enjoyed the movie for what it was. I'm a big fan of Daniel's (by the way, it's Radcliffe- with an e) I agree this would not have been a box office smash, but then it wasn't intended to be.

joallen

80

the movie was not intended to be an action film. It was intended to do exactly as it did. the zeal of youth as inspired by fathers and the effects of when a son [or daughter nowadays] does not return. well played.

Arthur

90

A thought provoking and memorable presentation, and a refreshing change from those interminable action movies with the forgettable special effects. In the short 'action in the trenches' scenes, it truly depicted the horrific conditions that my Father and Uncles, ill equipped by an unprepared army had to endure during  that futile war. . I thought Kim Cattrall did more than a 'decent job', and David Haig is to be congratulated  for his performance as Kippling. Daniel Radcliffe is memorable as the boy soldier Jack, and his performance  may be the springboard for his move into adult roles. 

Stacey

90

i thought the film was wonderful!! Everyone played their characters well. Being a big fan of Daniel Racliffe as Harry Potter, i was blown away by his performace as Jack because i thought with the glasses; i wouldnt get Harry out of my mind, but i did. lol i know kim as Samantha from Sex and the City as well. However that didnt deter her performance for me. She did well. Im not a huge fan of history nor war but My Boy Jack had me hooked and researching more of the story when the film was over. I wish the film was a bit longer. Show more of the kipplings before Jack got sent of to war. I didnt cry for Titanic but i did for this film. Lovely film
 

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SMARTCINE.COM

Director: Brian Kirk

Writer: David Haig

Genre: Biography  Drama War

Duration:  1hr 33mins

Staring:  David Haig

                 Daniel Radcliffe

                 Kim Cattrall

                 Carey Mulligan

                 Julian Wadham

                 Martin McCann

Producer: Michael Casey

Distributor: WARNER BROS

Rating: Not Rated

Release Date: April 22, 2008

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