The excitement of this movie revolves around a merchant, take a big loan from the Jewish called Shylock without any interests if he gets back the loan in specific time but unluckily, he can't because he lost all his ships in the sea and he should pay the price a pound of his flesh.
It tilts so far in one direction that the comic elements seem to come from another, lesser film.
Urban Cinefile
June 05, 2009
A richly cinematic and robust rendition of Shakespeare's pre-political correctness play about the place of Jews in anti-Semitic 16th century Venice, Michael Radford's film takes delight in dramatics thus pulling us into the story.
We see what an actor's actor Pacino can be: he's careful and watchful; respectful of other actors' timing; and says his lines perfectly, resisting all temptation to grandstand.
Radford has rendered off the comedy to find the dramatic skeleton underneath. It is an approach that works stunningly well and is perhaps the only way the play can now be done.
Orlando Sentinel
February 25, 2005
A vivid, engrossing and defensible Shakespeare adaptation, a period piece that truly has a feel for a time long past -- and a place and attitude that are not.
At the Movies (Australia)
July 10, 2009
The text is wonderful, Radford's film has some fine performances from Jeremy Irons and Joseph Fiennes, and he makes good use of Venice locations.
