The victim of an alleged IMDB vote-rigging scheme, this romantic drama set against the backdrop of the first world war Armenian genocide was controversial even before its release. Director Terry George (Hotel Rwanda) suggested that the numerous one-star votes that followed the film’s premiere last year were politically motivated, rather than appraisals of the film-making – likely, given that hardly anyone had seen the film at the time. That said, with its sugary soft-focus, treacle-toned cinematography, over-masticated fake Turkish accents and cloying love triangle device, this is film that delivers more empty calories than historical sustenance.
