The Four Feathers is an enigmatic film that attempts to walk a very thin line between that of a marketable Hollywood product and that of a clever period piece. As often happens when a project can’t commit to one side or the other, the end result is a muddled and somewhat tedious mixture of both. The one redeeming feature to The Four Feathers that ultimately turns it into something worth watching is the artistic vision of director Shekhar Kapur (Elizabeth).

Whether filming elaborate battle scenes in the Sudan or simply shooting dialogue between stars Heath Ledger and Kate Hudson, Kapur uses the camera to create a style and atmosphere that isn’t often seen in films today. Working closely with cinematographer Robert Richardson (Platoon, Bringing Out the Dead), Kapur secures a mood throughout The Four Feathers that heightens the tension during battle and makes the otherwise below-average dialogue sound necessary. This is a very important element to the whole of this project because there is a lot of below average dialogue to deal with.

Set in the late 19th century, Ledger stars in The Four Feathers as Harry Faversham, a young officer in the British Army. The very day Faversham decides he’s going to leave the army and spend time with his fiancee, Ethne (Kate Hudson), his superiors announce that his unit is going to fight in the Sudan. Mistaking Faversham’s leaving for cowardice, his three best friends and Ethne present him with four feathers, the ultimate symbol of cowardly behavior. Intent on giving each of the feathers back to his friends, Faversham ends up going to the Sudan and fighting in the war anyway.

This wasn’t a great film–of the three young leads, Ledger, Hudson and Wes Bentley, only Bentley shows some acting promise–but it sure was a pleasure to look at. The Four Feathers is nothing if not an indictment of Kapur’s considerable and creative cinematic talents. Without his style and grace, this movie would be mired at the bottom of the year’s releases.

chris neumer

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Paul Feldshur was credited as being both a producer and an executive producer on this project.