Review: EMPIRE OF LIGHT Features Another Incredible Performance By Olivia Colman
Director Sam Mendes is back with a new film titled Empire of Light. Mendes is a wonderful filmmaker who has made both epic big-budget films like the James Bond movies and 1917, and small and intimate films like Revolutionary Road and American Beauty. Regardless of the kind of film he makes, one thing that’s always constant is that he knows how to tell a great and engaging story.
Well, he does it again with Empire of Light, which is both a love letter to cinema and movie theaters and a heavy drama involving romance and mental health. The film is set in the 1980s in an old movie house on the coast of England. It’s officially described as ”a powerful and poignant story about human connection and the magic of cinema.”
Empire of Light is a character study that really dives into the human psyche. It stars Olivia Colman whose character has a whirlwind of emotions over the course of the movie. Her character, Hilary Small, is struggling with a lot of different aspects of life including her mental health and she is trying to keep it together.
Over the course of the story, she forms a relationship with a co-worker named Stephen who’s wonderfully played by Micheal Ward and this relationship makes life happy and exciting for her again, but it also comes with its challenges as her mind begins to break down in the process and she starts spiraling into a dark place.
Olivia Colman is the heart of this movie and she once again delivers an incredible performance that will probably end up winning her another Best Actress Oscar. This movie has all the makings of Oscar bait and while it won’t make a lot of money at the box office, it’s a prestigious film that will get all the award nominations.
While Colman is the centerpiece of the film, my favorite character was Norman, played by Toby Jones. He is the projectionist in the cinema and I loved all of the scenes that he was involved in, which unfortunately weren’t many. But, his character is the character that I was able to connect to most.
The movie also stars Micheal Ward, Colin Firth, Tom Brooke, Tanya Moodie, Hannah Onslow, and Crystal Clarke. The music for the film was also created by by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross.
This film definitely isn’t for everyone due to the subject matter. It’s not going to be a runaway hit at the box office because it’s just not that kind of film, but you can tell the director is passionate about the story. Some people might find that story long and dull, but it’s a wonderfully made film that cinephiles are sure to enjoy and appreciate.