Goya's Ghosts
Synopsis: the painter Fransisco Goya becomes involved with the Spanish Inquisition when his muse, Inés, is arrested by the church for heresy. Her father, Thomas, comes to him hoping that his connection with Brother Lorenzo, whom he is painting, can secure the release of his daughter.
The recently released movie Goya's Ghosts looks like a promising film at first. The decor is good and the cinematography is also very nice.
Very soon after the start of the movie however, the plot revolves less and less around Fransisco Goya himself. About midway through the movie I realized that the movie is more about Brother Lorenzo and Inés. Goya is used more as the excuse for the plot than anything else.
Though times were surely harsh back then, the entire movie seems very focused on the total carnage, brutal homicides and rapes that occurred. Even if I don't particularly care for the French as a whole, I thought they got a bit of a raw deal as they are almost depicted as the very epitomy of evil.
The British on the other hand were clearly saints and it all adds a decidedly pro-british air to the entire film.
My conclusion can only be that despite some nice scenery, the plot is shaky and hardly involves Goya. The movie and it's title promised much more than was delivered.
Rating: 5 out of 10