Another review going into new territory because I can’t whole-heartedly endorse this movie, especially with today’s ridiculous ticket prices. It would’ve been easier if Lincoln were clearly terrible. The mash-up of an alternate history was fine, hell I was looking forward to this since the premise sounded like a report written by Bart Simpson or a Time Squad episode. Lincoln just failed to forge any excitement in its execution.
In short, Lincoln is a movie mashup…The Matrix set in the 19th Century with the villains being based on Interview with the Vampire. Then apply this heavy special-effects laden veneer on top of Henry Fonda’s Young Mr. Lincoln and you have the film.
One bright spot was seeing Rufus Sewell returning to American movies. After Dark City, I think Hollywood soured on him plus his very noticeable lazy eye didn’t help. Sewell’s performance really stood out for me, it was as if he were imitating Adam Ant’s onstage persona from 30 years ago. When he confronts Sturges (another main character) with his gang of vampiric highwaymen in a 17th or 18th Century flashback, I expected the phrase “Stand or deliver!” to be shouted, then followed up with the song’s anthemic drumming. Coincidence? Probably not. Sewell’s character is named Adam.
I should’ve known I was in for a morning of disappointment. Even Alamo couldn’t garner any pre-show material worth watching. In a perfect universe, I would show Time Squad; Honest Abe is a mean prankster who gives the opposition wedgies; some scenes from a weird cartoon which had cloned historical figures attending high school together (Lincoln, Cleopatra, JFK, etc.), I think it was another lame MTV attempt at comedy. Lincoln’s big scene in Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure is mandatory. Instead we endured a handful of crappy fan films borrowing the alt-history concept: mostly the caretaker presidents fighting dinosaurs, training monsters or being great teamsters. FDR as a ninja before polio failed miserably too.