Review Detail

Ladyhawke itself is not a movie I have a ton of nostalgia for and I can't say it impressed me that greatly as a film on this rewatch. That said, this version definitely works better than the original. The Eliot Goldenthal score works quite well with the vision here presented by Richard Donner. There are parts where personally I felt the score was too jaunty over the action, or borderline sappy over the drama, but honestly that's totally in-keeping with Donner's tone and vision. It matches his directorial style here well, where he never fully goes for gripping action or sweeping drama, but tries to create a childlike sense of joy and wonder that pervades the story.

This film is honestly probably best viewed by someone around 12 years old, so any parents out there might want to seek this out. Personally I want my fantasy bigger and bolder and probably more exploitative, but there is a niche for this. A/V editing is top notch, fitting perfectly into the film. A 5.1 mix would be the natural direction to take this sweeping score, but I can give it a pass. For those with nostalgia for this, it may scratch an itch; for those with no real memories, this would be the preferred way to watch.