Peter O'Toole

Lawrence of Arabia - 2/5

This is a very uneven film. Some of the cinematography is spectacular; some is mundane. Some of the actors are chewing the scenery; some are phoning it in. Some of the slow, desolate scenes convey a feeling of isolation; some are useless padding. It’s extremely long, to the point that fully half of the runtime could be cut out without significantly impacting the narrative, which is itself a crime against cinema. Even some of the action scenes are boring, which should just never happen. Instead of being taut, the script is practically obese.

Closest comparison: It’s like Patton with the pacing of 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Setting: Adventure
Plot: War
Tone: Drama