A brilliant film that helped define a genre

What a freaking movie. So many twists and turns. Absolutely intense from start to finish.

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

The tone of this movie is interesting -- the stakes are both dramatic and high, but it's balanced with a lot of fun, tongue and cheek dialogue.

Running 1:24, about 15 minutes shorter than the 1993 film, this one cut out much more of the plot, apparently by design as much as necessity. We never see Antoinette's traumatic childhood experiences or her convent-school education; she mentions them briefly later.After a lead-in scene previewing her time at Thornfield, the movie begins with Antoinette meeting Rochester for the first time. Some of its main drawbacks are immediately apparent. Antoinette, despite her West Indies upbringing, is portrayed as speaking with a native English accent (with occasional hints of Scots); she also comes across as more cheery and self-assured than in the book. Meanwhile, Rochester's brusque, rapid mumbling is often hard to understand.This production focuses almost exclusively on the one main relationship, with far less effort devoted to adding island "flavor" or other atmospheric components. Scenes of Antoinette and Rochester dominate the screenplay: their excitement at meeting and marrying each other, their passionate physical encounters, their later conflicts as Rochester grows uncertain about her background and his situation. We see a bit less of the scheming Christophine and the seductive Amelie and only the tiniest evidence of other servants. Daniel Cosway, bearer of secrets about Antoinette's past, appears suddenly, rather than making himself known to Rochester through letters. It all feels a bit rushed.Labeled NR (Not Rated), the film contains a few bits of female frontal nudity, some naked bodies placed strategically so nothing much shows, and lots of shadowy groping and panting.This film features some beautiful scenery and nice production values (film angles, lighting, costumes, etc.). Due to its questionable portrayals and abbreviated plot lines, though, I wouldn't recommend it as highly as the 1993 version.

Having just finished watching Jane Eyre on the Beeb, I wasn't sure how I would take to Wide Sagasso Sea. Antoinette (or Bertha) is pitied and feared and only seen once after the 'non' wedding in Jane Eyre. This relatively short story gives us an idea of a possible life for Rochester and his first wife in Jamaica where they married, and suggests to us reasons for how she ended up where she did in Jane Eyre. But it is hard to equate the Rochester in Jane Eyre and this younger version, and some fans of the book may not be able to take the cruel attitude shown by Edward to his wife. However, it is not that dissimilar to some of the characteristics seen in the original Bronte novel. The acting was superb and the idea of the 'prequal' well conceived by the original author.

Thought-provoking, multi-layered, moving, gripping, with wonderful scenery and music, and outstanding performances from Rafe Spall (son of Timothy Spall) and especially Rebecca Hall (daughter of Peter Hall, previously seen in The Camomile Lawn). It deserves all the BAFTAs going! Hopefully it will be released on DVD before long.Based on the classic book by Jean Rhys, who was herself a Creole, written in 1966 - apparently one of the 'best 100 books ever' on Time's listings. It's an illuminating prequel to Jane Eyre, and a story which in my opinion is actually better than Bronte's classic.And I'm writing this as someone who can't stand Jane Eyre and wouldn't normally dream of watching this kind of film!

Jane Eyre is currently on UK TV and it was good to see this prequel, even though it was written by another, more contemporary, writer. It managed to convey the sense of mid 1800s Jamaica wonderfully and the imagery was just superb. Both leads were excellent and the sex scenes , while maybe not suitable for under 12s, were portrayed sympathetically and were quite erotic in placesThoroughly recommendedand Rafe Spall has the sexiest lips ever!!!!!I have never seen him in anything before but I was fascinated by his acting ability. He managed to dominate the screen whatever scene he was in. Rebecca Hall was also good as the doomed Antoinette