The film also fails because of its inconsistency. Many critics have noted the disparity of the acting styles within the film. A collage of American, English, and French actors, of TV stars and Shakespeareans, the variety of performance styles doesn't add up. Michelle Pfeiffer's rendition of Titania has been deemed cardboard, and many critics question her ability to deliver Shakespearean lines effectively. Even the talented Kevin Kline seems miscast as Bottom, often over performing his role, as is Rupert Everett as Oberon. The obvious clumsiness of their performances opens a critical door for the audience: Who would we cast instead in these roles? How do the director's choices match or clash with ours?
In fact these questions lead us to the film's one saving grace: It forces us to think more carefully about Shakespeare's original artistic conception. Has switching the setting from Athens to Italy enhanced our understanding of the play? Or have we lost the rich mythological resonance Shakespeare created by locating his play in Greece? Does the play's action make sense when placed in the nineteenth century; for example, does it seem plausible that Hermia would still be sentenced to death for disobedience to her father? Many of the film's choices don't seem sensible or coherent, but they make us painfully aware of the richness, the unity, the magic of Shakespeare's original text. By analyzing the details of this modern performance of the play, Shakespeare's mastery and magnetism become vividly apparent.
