Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on July 2014

Niccolo Paganini (1782-1840) was a pioneer in the fiddle field. Bold and innovative and unimaginably talented; a 19th-century rock star. Then there’s this cornball German-Italian movie. It focuses on his time in London, a visit Wikipedia barely mentions. Moreover, his strings (sorry) are being pulled by satanic agent Jared Harris, who stops just short of twirling his moustache. Nya-ha-ha. German David Garrett, actually a violinist, resembles a cover model for bodice-rippers, and his Southern Californian, Keanu Reeves-y accent supplies the film’s only humor. Really, really bad. Japanese title: Paganini: Ai to Kyoki no Violinist. (122 min)