Seventeen years after the tragic death of Princess Diana, is a film about the last two years of her life too soon? Put simply, yes. With the legacy of both her life and death still prevalent and her sons' and now grandson’s heir to the throne under constant discussion, it will always be too soon. With the public’s deep-seeded obsession with the most famous woman in the world, a film based on gossip, hearsay and sensationalised speculation is grossly disrespectful and distasteful.
Oliver Hirschbiegel’s ‘Diana’ portrays the late princess as deeply insecure, intimidated by the palace and yet able to stand up to them and unafraid to piss them off. She’s bitter about her divorce, has a convoluted relationship with the press which includes using them to her advantage, displays obsessive (almost stalker-like) tendencies post break-up, and is vindictive. True or not, Diana is not shown in a positive or stable light with the exception of her charity work. One scene even reveals the princess practicing lines in front of a mirror in preparation for her infamous BBC interview, including the quote, “Well, there were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded.”
SWITCH: 'DIANA' TRAILER
Focusing on her two-year secret relationship with heart surgeon Hasnat Khat, the film is filled with fabricated two-handed scenes consisting of dippy dialogue more at home in tacky Lifetime telemovies.
Completely and utterly lacking in any real heart, wisdom or insight, even Watts’ head tilt and cadences make for a shoddy imitation and the overall end result is quite simply dull.
Even with all the “artistic” license added, it’s still not a strong story or a well-made film. The only credit belongs to the hair, make-up and wardrobe departments for mimicking Diana’s looks so accurately. For a woman so known for her style and fashion, this was a key element that couldn’t be skimped on and was executed perfectly.
Fans and family will be - and should be - furious. This isn’t worth anyone’s time. Best to leave her memory intact and untouched as the Princess of Hearts.