“Branagh sets the drama on the battlegrounds of World War One. It’s an odd choice, perhaps, but, for me, it is a choice that’s both brilliantly considered and effortlessly sustained. During the overture, a long, imposingly sweeping shot introduces one to the environment (a surreal green pasture, soon to become a battlefield), sets in motion the drama’s unravelling thread (we watch as a battalion of troops rush from their trenches into bloody conflict) and draws the eye to a statuesque, handsome young soldier. This is, of course, Tamino (glowingly sung by Joseph Kaiser), who we soon follow into the trenches, as he dodges gunfire and finally topples into a pool of murky water. “Oh help me! God help me!” he cries, as an ominous cloud of tear gas bears down upon him. This is visually exciting, dramatically absorbing cinema, and also cinema of the highest economy: not one shot or camera angle is misplaced; nothing can break the magic of Branagh’s colourful and mesmerising visual aesthetic.”