A REMAKE OF THE 1974 ITALIAN FILM OF THE SAME NAME. MADOONA STARS AS A RICH SPOILED WIFE OF AN EVIL INDUSTRIALIST WHO GOES ALONG ON A MEDITERRANEAN CRUISE WITH HER SPOILED RICH FRIENDS. WHEN MADONNA AND THE DECK HAND GET ... more »STRANDED ON A DESERTED ISLAND AN UNLIKELY ROMANCE ENSUES.« less
Madonna should stick to what she is good at, singing. Guy Ritchie should have known not to direct a movie with his wife. Saw a while back and remembered how bad this was. The 3.6/10 rating should be a tell tell sign for you BUT watch if you want, at your own risk!
Sharon F. (Shar) from AVON PARK, FL Reviewed on 4/7/2022...
Not sure why this is getting such low ratings, I really liked it. It's funny and it's sexy.
0 of 1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Movie Reviews
More Art Film than Crowd Pleaser
Avalon Daughter | I wish I was in Glastonbury | 01/06/2003
(3 out of 5 stars)
"Alright, first thing I'm going to do is establish my credibility. Yes, I have been a Madonna fan since 1983 and NO I do not think everything she makes is fantastic which I find annoying and cultish (you know, that glazed eyed look of her fanatic fans.) In fact, she's put out some real doozies (ahem... "Next Best Thing" anyone? What garbage!) Plus, I hated her album "Music" so this is to let you know I'm trying to be a fair viewer.Okay, the movie. Well, I watched it out of morbid curiosity. I had heard so much bad stuff about this movie I just really wanted to see why it was so horrible. You know what? It wasn't that bad.The storyline was somewhat interesting... fascinating really... take two opposite persons with different morals and values that defy the other and put each one in a place of power over the other and watch what happens. It is somewhat masochistic in a sense. In other words, it really is a clashing of personal values and defying them until the other gets fed up. The lower class Italian worker simply rebels more and more when he is being dominated by Amber... interestingly enough, Amber, the rich nasty woman, submits completely when she is in the passive position. She really doesn't even fight. Why? Because her place of power really is an illusion whereas his isn't.Regardless, all philosophical musings aside, you probably want the dirt on the flick. Alright, it's totally Guy all the way when it comes to filming and directing. You get his humor and camera angles from "Lock, Stock..." So if you liked that movie, you might get a kick out of this one.How was Madonna? Not bad. She was actually interesting in her character. She's starting to really loosen as an actress and beginning to forget the camera. Remember, I said BEGINNING.She's getting there. Also, it seems like she trusts her husband as a director so she relaxes a bit. She delivers her lines softer, but without as much emotion in the first half of the film. I truly believe Madonna should take acting lessons. She's too conscious of the camera and we as the audience are too conscious of the most famous woman in the world. And she's aware of this.Is this a problem? Yes, mostly due to the fact that she has a HUGE obstacle to overcome in order for her audience to believe her as an actress; she has to make her audience forget who she is in order for them to like her character that she's portraying. She did this 100% in "Desperately Seeking Susan" and 75% in "Evita."If she took lessons in acting, like she did with singing, I think she could go somewhere. Otherwise, her marketable product is what's truly knocking her down. What an amazing contradition!Otherwise, the film was interesting. The scenery was just beautiful, especially the nighttime scenes. There are moments between the two main characters that are genuinely fun and tender. I liked the interaction between the two of them and how loving they are towards each other. The ending (Spoiler) is truly sad which makes it more of an art film than a blockbuster movie. However, you can tell it was put together rather quickly and could have used more polishing. Not a waste, but not that bad.Still, I plan on renting it when it comes out. I wouldn't mind looking at it again. Recommendations: big bang viewers, don't bother -- it's more of an insight to an artflick, something to chat about."
Forgive me Father for I have sinned, I promise to say 'Hail
JGC | 07/15/2007
(1 out of 5 stars)
"I must confess, when I first saw this movie I was one of those braindead Madonna-lunatics that followed every uncreative thing she flung out. I traveled all the way to NYC the day this film came out because it was too awful to get a full release. And I even proclaimed to everyone that would sit still long enough to listen just how "terrific Madonna is in it..." The day this movie came out a columnist with The Post gave it such a scathing review. And I was mortified and for some crazy reason I took such personal offense. I even wrote the Post a lengthy letter claiming their writers were biased towards Queen Madonna.
Please forgive me Father for I have sinned, I promise to say 'Hail Mary' until Madonna has a hit movie. After I regained my sanity I found out just how manipulative and incompetent Madonna really is.
She manipulated her husband with this horrible fiasco of a movie, "Swept Away." And she managed to ruin the poor man's career along the way. She manipulated her fans into seeing it. Because only her fans were incoherent enough to see "Swept Away." No one else would sit through this shipWRECK.
Why is this movie so bad? Because over the years Madonna has turned into a horrible skeleton of her old self, she is so transparent. Anyone can read a magazine through her. Even Leona Helmsley has more of a heart than the High Cabala Priestess. Madonna does not know how to act and her attempts have only gotten progressively worse. In the 1980's and early 1990's when Madonna made a bad picture it was funny and everyone chalked it up to a foolish pop star. But now it's just sad. And I suppose there's nothing more tragic than watching the old lioness lose her teeth.
In "Swept Away" Madonna arrogantly just reads her lines and then runs around calling herself an "artiest" or an "actress." I suppose if the rich and famous really are out of touch with reality Madonna would be a textbook case. To quote the old Madonna in one of her past lives, "ignorance is not bliss."
"
Don't listen to the critics
Sir Lizard | Washington, DC USA | 01/13/2003
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I was skeptical when I entered the theater, but I enjoyed "Swept Away" from the beginning to it's bittersweet end. Owen Gleiberman, of "Entertainment Weekly" magazine, was the only critic I had read who actually gave the movie a fair review. It seems that all other critics just took out their stock of well-worn Madonna insults. I don't know if they'll ever give the woman a break. She's not a great actress yet, but she has her moments when she fully inhabits her character and is quite touching. People really have a hard time seeing beyond her persona. You may not want to run out and buy this one, if you haven't seen it yet, but at least rent it and decide for yourself."
Not nearly as bad as the critics said!
A. Gilbert | Austin TX, United States | 02/14/2003
(3 out of 5 stars)
"Madonna and her husband must have really stepped on some wrong toes to warrant such an incredibly undeserved public lashing. I can't imagine why so many critics jumped on the bandwagon. While wathcing this movie, I asked myself "did the critics even WATCH the movie?" While I will admit that Madonna is no Meryl Streep, this is certainly not her worst performance, and at times, she performs the best she ever has, especially halfway into the movie and towards the end. In the beginning, she is a bit wooden, but I think part of that was an intentional reflection of the character. I found myself laughing at many scenes in the movie, and emotionally moved in others. Other than the corny line that Madonna speaks into the phone towards the end ("my darling"), I did not see much wrong with this movie. I would have to say that I enjoyed watching it. It's a hell of a lot better than The Next Best Thing!"
I was swept away in a GREAT way!
A. Gilbert | 12/25/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I have to say that Guy Ritchie's remake of Swept Away was EXCELLENT! The original was a bit too abusive, but Guy's remake has just enough violence to prove his point without going overboard and degrating women. Madonna was GREAT in the movie, very convincing and real. When she cried I was sad, when she laughed I was happy. I recommend this movie to ANYONE, please do NOT let the critics make you biased toward this movie. Come on, we all know the reason why the critics tore the movie apart, Madonna and Guy are a happily married couple-they worked together to create something beautiful and were successful at doing it-the critics can't handle that...."