"A Battle of Love Against Honor and Duty"
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What You Need To Know:
TRISTAN & ISOLDE shows how redemption follows integrity and taking responsibility for one's actions. Even as the son of Lord Marke seeks revenge against his father and assists the enemy in battle, he accepts his responsibility. Although the storyline is amazingly complex, it is easy to follow, with the thematic and moral elements easily identified. It is a beautiful movie to watch, regrettably marred by some excessive violence, gore, nudity, and adultery. The filmmakers leave viewers to decide between the conflicting worldviews, Romantic versus Biblical, but regardless, honesty and honor prevail in the end
Content:
(BB, C, RoRo, Pa, VVV, SS, NN, A, M) Strong moral worldview of honor and honesty with some redemptive Christian aspects ultimately prevails over strong Romantic worldview which puts feelings above mental faculties and favors feelings and personal desires versus commitment, duty, honesty, and integrity, including elements of internal moral struggle between the Romantic worldview and the moral worldview within the hero as he struggles between love and duty for his uncle over his love for Isolde while Isolde presents the Romantic view that love and feelings rule over all else, plus light pagan elements in Irish King who puts his desires above all else, including his daughter; no foul language; extreme violence with gory images throughout such as brutal fight scenes, one man's hand is cut off, two men are beheaded, and very graphic battle scenes; depicted adultery and depicted fornication; upper female and male nudity, and rear female nudity; alcohol use; no smoking; and, unkind father neglects daughter and revenge.
More Detail:
TRISTAN & ISOLDE is a screenplay very loosely based on a legend of two lovers in medieval times. The movie is shot mostly in Ireland and Prague. The atmospheric location is a sight to behold. The Director of Photography and set designer do a masterful job of representing the period. The audience really feels as if they are a part of the scenery.
The story begins as Tristan loses his mother and father early in life and is adopted by his uncle, Lord Marke, an English King. Tristan is raised with his step-brother and taught how to fight. England and Ireland have a very unsteady relationship and battles are common. Tristan shows great natural ability in fighting under Lord Marke’s tutoring. Lord Marke gains a deep respect for Tristan’s talents, and the two develop a strong bond. Lord Marke’s natural son and Tristan grow up together and develop into friends, but there is resentment toward Tristan as the favored son.
Isolde is the daughter of the Irish King. She loses her mother at an early age to what she calls a lack of love. Isolde’s father is an unkind dictator who seeks his own purposes, even over the needs of his child.
Following a battle in which Tristan unknowingly kills Isolde’s bethrothed, Tristan falls ill, due to poison on the other’s blade. He is assumed dead and given a king’s death, being sent out on a boat. The boat lands on the coast of Ireland where it is found by a young Isolde. She nurses Tristan back to health, and the two fall into a forbidden love.
Unaware that Isolde is actually the daughter of the King and fearing his discovery, Tristan returns to England. The King of Ireland develops a plan to bring the unsteady relationship between the English tribes into chaos. A competition is staged, and the winner is to have Isolde as the prize. Tristan fights to win Isolde for his King and father, Lord Marke, and wins. As he wins, he realizes that he has won the hand of his own lover, to be given to his father and King.
Isolde is brought back to England and marries Lord Marke. The wedding scene is amazingly beautiful. A battle between following his heart and honoring his duty and commitment ensues within Tristan. This struggle is representative of the struggle that we as Christians often face, doing what feels good versus what we know is right. Obedience is hard, and viewers will watch as Tristan tries in his own power to keep his love secret and honor his King, despite his own love for Isolde. He fails miserably and their love becomes adulterous. Isolde justifies her behavior with the Romantic notion that love is paramount over all else, including a country’s peace and safety.
All things are thrown into conflict as the love affair is made known. This movie beautifully shows integrity in taking responsibility for one’s behavior and the redemption that ensues. Even though the son of Lord Marke seeks revenge against his father and assists the enemy in the battle, he also seeks redemption and eventually accepts his responsibility.
Although this storyline is amazingly complex, it is quite easy to follow, with the thematic and moral elements easily identified. It is a beautiful movie to watch if you can stomach excessive violence and gore, although the violence is not quite as bad as THE GLADIATOR. The sex scenes, though numerous, are not explicit, and only upper bodies are shown, above the breast predominantly.
The makers of the movie leave you to decide between the conflicting worldviews, Romantic versus Biblical, but regardless, honesty and honor prevail in the end.
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Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
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