AllMovie

Martin Luther wants so very badly to be a great film that one almost feels sorry for it that it comes up short. Whatever its failings, however, at least one can say that this is a biopic that is relatively faithful to the facts. Yes, a few things are fudged here and there, or incidents are combined or telescoped. But on the whole, Luther presents a mostly accurate portrait of its main subject. Unfortunately, it does so in a heavy handed and, it must be admitted, tedious manner. Historians or devout Lutherans will most likely not mind this too much, and will appreciate it for its historical value and pass over its dramatic shortcomings. Others will not be so generous. Part of the problem is that -- like its subject -- Martin Luther is very, very talky. Some of the talk is quite brilliant, but it bogs the film down terribly. And too little attention is paid to making all of this important talk cinematic. In the title role, Niall MacGinnis does all that is asked of him, and quite a bit more. It's a very detailed, well thought performance and quite a treat in terms of technique. But, because of the script and the manner in which the script is directed, MacGinnis is rarely able to really catch fire and light up the screen the way that he so clearly wants to. It's a shame that this actor and this character were not brought together in a project that would show what both were really capable of.