Kenneth Branagh’s sumptuous new version of The Magic Flute is a widescreen delight.
SCREEN INTERNATIONAL

Entertaining, and with sporadic, fresh visual flourishes…the decision to transpose the story to a First World War setting is curious and allows for some marvellous visual imaginings
FILM FOUR

Branagh’s “Flute” fascinatingly re-imagines Mozart’s opera…Branagh’s vision of the Great War is awful and magical at the same time…Visually, this “Flute” is exuberant if occasionally incongruous. Fluid camera movements are surprising and delightfully musical. The updating is mostly clever, such as by making the three ladies who discover Tamino sexy nurses in flamboyant costumes.
THE LA TIMES

Branagh’s imagery is imaginative and the music lifts you. A neat trick.
TOTAL FILM

The cast are all well-chosen, veterans of opera and musical theatre…glorious music played and sung by performers who really know their stuff
EYE FOR FILM

A godsend — frisky, rapid-fire paced and just plain fun. It has a rock-concert feel to it that echoes the original spirit of Mozart’s most fantastical work….it’s pure entertainment, meant to take you out of yourself, forget the world’s woes, and immerse yourself in the divine magic of the music.
THE JAPAN TIMES