'Midnight's Children': Critic's Take

The reviews of 'Midnight's Children' are in, with the critics delivering a mixture of verdicts. We've gathered the early reviews, many of them from the first screening in London.

"There's enough here to entertain - and to send audiences back to the book." - Peter Bradshaw, Guardian

"Deepa Mehta has crafted an epic, visually pleasing tale weaving politics, colourful splendour, romantic love and magic with her most ambitious film to date." - Linda Barnard, Toronto Star

"Midnight's Children is the perfect medley of story, cast and characterisation infused with Rushdie's poetic brilliance." - Priya Joshi, Digital Spy

"Thanks to Rushdie's sensitive handling of his own material, this is an adaptation big in both ideas and heart." - Kim Newman, Empire Magazine

Mehta has a painterly eye, giving her images a mythological beauty and tender sensuality." - Siobhan Synnot, Scotsman

"There's humour and heart here, but it's an overlong tale as meandering as the Ganges." - James Mottram, Total Film

"The swirl of history is often too much for the intimacy on display, and the result is decidedly ponderous in places. Yet this is a handsome, well-produced and thoughtfully designed epic." - Derek Malcolm, This is London

"Mehta fudges the political allegory in favour of the story's magical realism, but still can't get her arms around the material - or past Rushdie's own bear-hug." - Guy Lodge, Time Out

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