‘Diana’ premiered in Leicester Square, London sixteen years after the Princess of Wales’ tragic car crash.
Naiomi Watts stars as the Princess Diana in the highly anticipated film but Watts, and the film, have been the target of critics across the UK.
Although Watts is a two time Oscar nominee, critics were greatly disappointed in her role in the film. David Edwards of the Mirror writes that the actress, “looks, acts and sounds nothing like the Princess of Wales”. He then adds, “Wesley Snipes in a blonde wig would be more convincing.”
The film has also been subject to its own share of negative critique.
What was intended as a humanistic insight in to the last years of the Princess of Wales has been called both atrocious and dull. Peter Bradshaw of the Guardian writes, “This is due to an excruciatingly well-intentioned, reverential and sentimental biopic about her troubled final years, laced with bizarre cardboard dialogue – a tabloid fantasy of how famous and important people speak in private.”
‘Diana’ focuses on the Princess’ affair with heart surgeon Hasnat Khan played by Naveen Andrews from ABC’s Lost.
Which may be the cause for many of the negative feelings toward the film.
The film opened at number five in the UK chart and the following week dramatically fell four places to number nine.
The film’s director has been reportedly ‘devastated’ over the negative feedback from the UK press but he hopes that the general public go to see the film regardless of criticism and decide for themselves.
He also feels that the British as a community are still quite heartbroken over the loss of their Princess and become defensive at an honest point of view on her life. He adds that he feels this way due to the fact that the film has performed quite well in other countries.
“I hope it is a matter of stepping back and looking at it afresh in a year or so, because it is a very British story and I am a very German director”, Oliver Hirschbiegel, the director explains.
Hasnat Khan, the late Princess’ lover remarked that many aspects of the film including his family’s reaction was very far from the truth. He also added, “I haven’t seen the film and I haven’t met anyone who has seen it, but I can tell you for sure that it’s based on a superficial idea. I have kept things very discreet, but now this film is trying to open things up again.”