Featured Audience Ratings

• xGary X

  
  In this adaptation of Umberto Eco's celebrated novel, Franciscan friar Sean Connery investigates a series of bizarre murders in a monastery in the 14th century. Aside from the rather unusual subject matter, this is a unique film in that it does not feature the usual starlets and… More
  In this adaptation of Umberto Eco's celebrated novel, Franciscan friar Sean Connery investigates a series of bizarre murders in a monastery in the 14th century. Aside from the rather unusual subject matter, this is a unique film in that it does not feature the usual starlets and pretty boy actors populating a glossy Hollywood-ized version of history; it actually looks and feels like a working Medieval abbey. And as such, the monks will win no beauty competitions! Most of them would look perfectly at home adorning the abbey walls with the rest of the gargoyles! This just adds to the already potent atmosphere, and in one of his best roles, Sean Connery commands the screen as well as the able supporting cast including the ever reliable Ron Perlman as the demented hunchback. The story explores the theme of religious intolerance and climate of hysteria in which a reasonable minded man of learning can find it impossible to function within; "justice" is doled out by self-appointed prophets who dare not be opposed on pain of death, and blind faith and superstition replace logic and reason. Let's face it, things haven't changed much over the centuries. Add some wonderfully literary and witty dialogue and fascinating historical insights, and you have a film that works both as an excellent adaptation and a satisfying murder mystery.

• Ken S

  
  Great atmosphere and mood. An inspiration for Fincher's Alien 3.

• Jens S

  
  This extremely atmospheric and engrossing story set in a 14th century monastery in Northern Italy is a murder mystery and commentary on medieval church and inquisition at the same time. It perfectly intertwines these two aspects of the plot, carried by an outstanding Sean Connery and… More
  This extremely atmospheric and engrossing story set in a 14th century monastery in Northern Italy is a murder mystery and commentary on medieval church and inquisition at the same time. It perfectly intertwines these two aspects of the plot, carried by an outstanding Sean Connery and the wonderfully odd faces of the monks he is encountering. Following his investigations of the murders is fun and spooky at the same time, James Horner's score makes sure of the latter. The second half may be a bit simplistic in its depiction of good and bad, but that doesn't lessen the deeply satisfying solution to the mystery.

• AJ V

  
  A great thriller, very unique, and the cast is really good, I highly recommend this movie

• Dean M

  
  Sean Connery's character, Franciscan friar William of Baskerville, should be alludes to the fictional sleuth Sherlock Holmes. He lends dignity, intelligence as the acute and prudent monk who has knowledge, both of the human spirit and the wiles of the evil one. The film is very… More
  Sean Connery's character, Franciscan friar William of Baskerville, should be alludes to the fictional sleuth Sherlock Holmes. He lends dignity, intelligence as the acute and prudent monk who has knowledge, both of the human spirit and the wiles of the evil one. The film is very realistic in every way - the cold, uncomfortable monastery; the graphic murders; grotesque and disfigured characters; a startlingly explicit sex scene; authentic-sounding dialogue; excellent indoor and outdoor locations; and well-researched costume designs. Based on the novel by Italian author Umberto Eco in 1980, but it appeared in 1983, in an English translation.

• Anthony L

  
  A brilliant murder mystery set in a very grim 14th-century Benedictine monastery. It?s a classic!

• Stephen M

  
  Although Sean Connery's Franciscan sleuth is called William of Baskerville, and he's prone to declaring his feats of reasoning as 'elementary' to an intellectually inferior companion, he is not a worthy, Medieval precursor to Sherlock Holmes - at least not in this… More
  Although Sean Connery's Franciscan sleuth is called William of Baskerville, and he's prone to declaring his feats of reasoning as 'elementary' to an intellectually inferior companion, he is not a worthy, Medieval precursor to Sherlock Holmes - at least not in this 'Palimpsest' of Umberto Eco's novel, which I haven't read - for the following reason: too many of Baskerville's leaps in understanding are intuitive rather than deductive. Furthermore, instead of being detected, too many of the facts of the mystery are simply volunteered by the supporting characters, especially by Michael Lonsdale's Abbot and Ron Perlman's hunchback, Salvatore. However, even if "The Name of the Rose" fails to satisfy as a detective story, it still has much to recommend itself. The photography and use of location are splendid, the supporting cast of monks are unforgettably grotesque, especially Perlman, and the film is powerfully atmospheric, with a fine period feel. Along with "The Untouchables" and "Indiana Jones & the Last Crusade", this was one of the last great roles Connery had, before he got a little too old for Hollywood to know what to do with him and slid into an embarrassing decline.

• Candy R

  
  Good cast. This is like a dectective murder investigation in a monstery.

• Martin S

  
  Sucks big time

• Drew S

  
  I started out really enjoying this movie, but about an hour in, I realized that it was leaving me cold. I was appreciating what I was seeing and hearing, but not really giving a shit either way. The characters feel almost cursory, which I think is the main problem, but I really… More
  I started out really enjoying this movie, but about an hour in, I realized that it was leaving me cold. I was appreciating what I was seeing and hearing, but not really giving a shit either way. The characters feel almost cursory, which I think is the main problem, but I really can't put my finger on why The Name of the Rose didn't draw me in like it should have. In terms of the actual filming, it's a really entertaining movie. You can tell that it's a lot different than the source material; there are obvious suggestions of literacy tucked into the screenplay, but it's interlaced with moments that are brutal almost to the point of trashiness. And yet there's an odd sort of reserve to the direction...the film is cloaked in mist, and seems appropriately mysterious in presentation. Bizarre. I am really interested in reading the book, but the movie did little else for me. It is a perfectly competent mystery thriller and nothing more.

• Dean !

  
  A kind of erotic whodunit? set in the 14th century. Well made with some good actors.

• Lafe F

  
  A richly textured murder mystery at a monastery, with Monks being offed in creative ways. The architecture of the setting is incredible, especially when the wooden tower labyrinth is burning at the end. Christian Slater starts as a quiet little boy, but soon has his taste of manhood.… More
  A richly textured murder mystery at a monastery, with Monks being offed in creative ways. The architecture of the setting is incredible, especially when the wooden tower labyrinth is burning at the end. Christian Slater starts as a quiet little boy, but soon has his taste of manhood. Sean Connery is charming in his role as William of Baskerville. The society of monks are quite freaky. A great movie, but it has a heavy atmosphere, not for casual viewing.

• Tom E

  
  Christian Slater, the Wild Boy, makes his debut as a MONK? a good job --

• Byron B

  
  Interesting concept. I recently finished reading Umberto Eco's novel. His books are quite intellectual, but I wonder why more haven't been adapted into movies. Freaky at times because Annaud chose character actors with such unique faces. Because of the fairly standard… More
  Interesting concept. I recently finished reading Umberto Eco's novel. His books are quite intellectual, but I wonder why more haven't been adapted into movies. Freaky at times because Annaud chose character actors with such unique faces. Because of the fairly standard length of this movie compared to the dense descriptions that make the novel a bit bulky, this adaptation leaves some character and plot details behind. As a librarian I appreciate the setting of this movie and the issues it presents regarding who controls knowledge and the value of all literature. Some changes to the plot, like the Escher-esque stairs in the library, I don't think helped. Connery and Slater do their best to keep the mystery moving forward, despite a lot of theological inquisition that drags and distracts. Connery's truly inquisitive detective-like monk is not given as much time to bring the tale out of its depressing medieval morass with witty jibes, puzzle solving, and his love of knowledge and laughter. Ron Perlman gets to play one of his most odd and unique roles as Salvatore in this picture.

• Chris B

  
  Full Review Coming!

• Alec B

  
  I would have liked a little more exploration into the conflict between the Franciscan order and the Church authority, but its still a fascinating mystery that features a great performance by Sean Connery.

• Danny R

  
  A provocative, compelling, medieval murder mystery brilliantly adapted from Umberto Eco's best-selling novel, starring Sir Sean Connery in a masterful performance as Brother William of Baskerville a Franiciscan Monk, Connery lends dignity and intelligence, and his great voice to… More
  A provocative, compelling, medieval murder mystery brilliantly adapted from Umberto Eco's best-selling novel, starring Sir Sean Connery in a masterful performance as Brother William of Baskerville a Franiciscan Monk, Connery lends dignity and intelligence, and his great voice to the role, which is one of the finest performances of his career, he along with his novice Adso, played by young Christian Slater in a subtle and sensitive performance, Aldo is approaching his sexual and intellectual awakening , he is the narrator of the film who expresses bafflement at the mystery at the Abbey, and awe at Brother William's deductive powers.They arrive at secluded 14th century Benedictine Abbey for a religious conference. soon after a series of mysterious murders begin, where all the victims have blackened fingers and blackened tongues. Many of the monks fear it is the work of the devil, or the coming of the apocalypse. Brother William, who has a great penchant for sleuthing is asked to investigate these strange killings. But nothing is what it seems to be. Director Jean-Jecques Annud does a amazing job of transporting us back to a primitive dark time in the world, where fear and primal emotions rule. There are tremendous supporting performances by F. Murray Abraham , Feodor Chaliapin Jr., William Hickey, Michael Lonsdale, Ron Perlman, and Valentina Vargas. Magnificent cinematography by Tonino Delli Colli and a haunting score by James Horner. Atmospheric and engrossing. highly Recommended.

• Stephen E

  
  You don't have to pay close attention to find that "The Name of the Rose" has a lot of problems. It suffers from having unlikable characters, grotesque situations, narrative hiccups, an inevitable outcome and areas where the director loses focus. It's bathed in… More
  You don't have to pay close attention to find that "The Name of the Rose" has a lot of problems. It suffers from having unlikable characters, grotesque situations, narrative hiccups, an inevitable outcome and areas where the director loses focus. It's bathed in gloomy medieval atmosphere and has excellent set and costume design, but this often overpowers the action occurring onscreen. Sometimes the lighting is so dark and murky that it's hard to understand what's happening. Nevertheless, it's an admirable effort at capturing life at a monastery and the moral issues that plagued its monks. Though not executed properly, the concept is brilliant, and there are moments of sheer greatness scattered throughout. Sean Connery is solid in his role and manages to connect with the audience despite a lack of character depth. "The Name of the Rose" falls short in a lot of areas, but I actually found myself deeply immersed in it.

• Andre T

  
  Directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud, based on the book of the same name by Umberto Eco. Sean Connery is the Franciscan friar William of Baskerville and Christian Slater is his apprentice Adso of Melk, who are called upon to solve a deadly mystery in a medieval abbey.Very dark and… More
  Directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud, based on the book of the same name by Umberto Eco. Sean Connery is the Franciscan friar William of Baskerville and Christian Slater is his apprentice Adso of Melk, who are called upon to solve a deadly mystery in a medieval abbey.Very dark and unpleasant movie.Some bizarre characters and waste performance of F.Murray Abraham in a poor adaptation.

• Jason R

  
  Sean Connery stars as a Monk who has a great gift and is able to see and analyze many things and is able to solve crimes much in the same style of another famous literary hero, Sherlock Holmes. The film also boasts a young and impressive cast including Christian Slater and Ron… More
  Sean Connery stars as a Monk who has a great gift and is able to see and analyze many things and is able to solve crimes much in the same style of another famous literary hero, Sherlock Holmes. The film also boasts a young and impressive cast including Christian Slater and Ron Perlman. This a great murder-mystery set in a very strange and interesting world. The film is very intense ans very good, one of the better ones from this genre I have seen.

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