before launch into whether this film be worth your time or not and i should inform you i have never see another adaptation of carmen and so if youre look for a review on how it rank amongst others and this might not be of much use to you . the only time i have come across carmen be on the car stereo when drive through spain on a family holiday when i be a teenager . i do not pay much attention to it because i do not like opera at the time and i do not know any good . the story have be around for 150 year or so . do i feel i have miss out after see this movie . yes and mainly due to the plot and but also because if all the actress who play carmen look like paz vega and i would have all the adaptation happily sit in my dvd collection . direct by vicente aranda ( who also co rewrite the story with joaquim jordà ) and the story be tell through the eye of the original author prosper mérimée and a french writer make his way through 19th century spain . he come across josé ( leonardo sbaraglia ) and a delinquent soldier and one of many men who fall in love with carmen ( paz vega ) and a sultry and sexy and bedazzle gypsy woman and who have the mouth of the devil and the temper of a toro and who recklessly lead men to their doom . the moment she meet josé and she be attract by his stand offish behaviour . but she hook him and reel him in and let him go and many a time . until one day and josé be want for murder . carmen persuade him to join her band of gypsy smuggler . they seem to be settle and she fall in love with him and but she meet the charming escamillo and the bullfighter . can josé hold his jealousy in check and or do it destroy him . it a beautiful and seductive story and something that resemble and almost and a shakespearian or ovid plot and with the portrayal of immense passion and emotion that can make or break u and transform u to do thing out of character . it poetic and fiery and and above all and slutty . i be leave hang on and i do not know which way it be go to turn . i always hop that josé might change carmen dirty little way . i would not tell you if he succeed or not . the above synopsis be what i take away from the film and but i be not impress by the film itself . it be only after i watch it that i dig a little deeper into the story and i realise how much of a missed opportunity aranda have make of retell mérimée classic . it be a shallow and slutty period drama blunder and that saw paz vega spend a lot of the time partially or completely naked ( not that i be complain about this in particular . ) . first of all and the acting be poor . i be not impress by sbaraglia a josé . i be still unsure whether he be a weak actor or josé be suppose to be a weak character and i have not read the book . he suppose to be a man who with burning desire for carmen and but he spend much of the time look confuse and jealous and a bit dim . paz vega be slightly good a carmen . i be convince by her hardened and wicked character and although i have see more convincing performance by her in other film and such a zapping and lucia y el sexo . she seem too pretty to play a gypsy woman ( not that i have come across many andalusian gypsy woman ) and so in a way and the role do not really fit her . the other actor in the film weren not great either . they seem to do everything half heartedly . the story be passionate and emotive they look half arsed and a if they couldn not wait to get out the tight 19th century costume they be wear . however and the costume and i be impress with one of the redeeming factor of the film . i like spanish culture and i like the soldier uniform and the top hat and the woman flamenco dress . they fit the time well . that all i can really say about that . sorry and back to the criticism . the script and a state above and be co rewrite by vicente aranda and joaquim jordà and and do so badly and so much that it would leave mérimée turn in his grave . it be bore . it do not make best use of josé intense passion for carmen ( or maybe that be just the acting ) . there be cheesy line pile upon one and other and satan and devil connotation everywhere and amongst the million of swear word . i know the spanish be partial for the odd swear word and but the film be litter with puta and whore and in literally every line maybe it be realistic in 19th century poverty stricken seville and but the story itself do not need it . the editing and camera work be dull and ordinary . there be only one bit i actually like and and that be when the camera follow a fly close up in mid air and which land on carmen face . that be good . but the rest . bore . to conclude and it be sad to see such a great story go to waste with unconvincing acting and directing . if youre a literature teacher and by all mean let your class watch this adaptation to get an idea of the story . however and only the male half of the class will be pay any interest to the film and thanks to paz vega . otherwise and stick to the opera version ( even though i hate musical ) . i give this film 4 and just for the fact i love the storyline . and paz vega .