This is a gritty, but somewhat predictable, historical gem from Netflix. The acting, dialogue, and cinematography are excellent. There is a bit of a plot twist that I was pretty suspicious would be the case, and in I think the plot is a bit rushed or forced from the start. Maybe that is because there is so much that happens in the story, so something is bound to get rushed somewhere.
Part of the problem is probably how Henry V is portrayed as a sympathetic hero who is only invading France due to insult and to firm his support at home. This is fine from a point of fiction, but Henry in reality invaded France as a way to demand historically English (the royal family was Norman/French in origin) lands that the French had re-taken during the Hundred Year's War. He wasn't a hero as portrayed here. Obviously the politics/history is beyond the scope of the movie, but by forcing Henry to be more sympathetic, the movie contrives reasons for his war that are not quite believable. As a result, the movie works largely as a gritty medeival action movie, but the plot isn't too coherent/believable. Had they made Henry's motivations more real, the movie would probably be more believable (but far less sympathetic). In Shakespeare's time, English nationalism would make this more acceptable. Now, in our cynical day, it is less so.
I think this sums up most Netflix movies for me. They feel rushed for some reason, even when they are long (2 h, 20 m in this case). A bit more consideration would have made this far more epic, even if it was still false to history. Hell, Braveheart is 99% fiction but is still a great movie.
Part of the problem is probably how Henry V is portrayed as a sympathetic hero who is only invading France due to insult and to firm his support at home. This is fine from a point of fiction, but Henry in reality invaded France as a way to demand historically English (the royal family was Norman/French in origin) lands that the French had re-taken during the Hundred Year's War. He wasn't a hero as portrayed here. Obviously the politics/history is beyond the scope of the movie, but by forcing Henry to be more sympathetic, the movie contrives reasons for his war that are not quite believable. As a result, the movie works largely as a gritty medeival action movie, but the plot isn't too coherent/believable. Had they made Henry's motivations more real, the movie would probably be more believable (but far less sympathetic). In Shakespeare's time, English nationalism would make this more acceptable. Now, in our cynical day, it is less so.
I think this sums up most Netflix movies for me. They feel rushed for some reason, even when they are long (2 h, 20 m in this case). A bit more consideration would have made this far more epic, even if it was still false to history. Hell, Braveheart is 99% fiction but is still a great movie.