Kenneth Branagh's adaptation of Anthony Shaffer's stage play is lackadaisical from frame one forward. Branagh direction gets in his own way. From his choice of shots to how he lays out his compositions, the piece is over managed and isn't given the freedom to breathe. Its a remarkable thing to see a film so disturbed by the director's hand. The choices made by Branagh and company are so obtuse I had to check twice to make sure this wasn't cobbled together by student filmmakers. The sets, meant to show a rich man's lonely post modern mansion, look more like backdrops to a Duran Duran video than something a human would actually live in. While this may be the ultimate intent of the designer, they distract from the action taking place on screen. Combined with the bone dry dialog, this whole movie is a like a real crappy piece of conceptual art.*