ShangLuda
Admirable film.
Roman Sampson
One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.
Bob
This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.
naomikimiko
Unlike the many outraged fans on this page already, I did not read all the books before watching this film. Admittedly, this was not as good as the previous two installments. However I felt the characterization did not stray too far from their original counterparts, and I enjoy a good war-centered movie from time to time. I will admit, the relationship between Anne and Jack Garrison seemed forced and simply thrown in to create a love triangle. I thought it was unnecessary and the movie would have still been good without it. Also, there were a few questionable parts as Anne traversed Europe, but it kept me interested and there never seemed to be a dull moment. I did wish to see more of Anne and Gilbert together, especially after not seeing him very much in "Anne of Avonlea."So if you are a die-hard Anne of Green Gables reader/fan, don't watch the movie because you'll find it's not very close to the source material.But if you are like me and just like enjoying a good movie, then I would recommend it.
MyrPraune
I have not read all the Anne books. I don't like the flowery style of Lucy Maud Montgomery that much. But the 2 first TV series were really nicely done, with the romantic and "frilly" side of the story being anchored with really good interpretation. But this is just horrible. It really plays like an excuse to try and bank of the previous success of the 2 first series; the story is ridiculous, the characters so shallow it's a real joke. There is NONE of the warmth and charm of the first series. Even the character of Anne... I mean, it's Megan Follows, normally she should have been able to play Anne like she's done it before........ But with such a screenplay and dialogue, there's no way to do a good job. I felt cheated after this; I felt like the characters and the story that I really loved had been used for $$$ and cheapened. Yuck. I still give a 4 for the fondness of remembering those characters and a certain curiosity in seeing them again on screen.
anna-c-obrien
I feel I must start this review with the caveat that I am not a fan of the Anne books and I find that Sullivan's films do a fine job of expressing the sentiment of the books and capturing their lively characters while escaping their outdated, flowery prose. The Continuting Story has a startling impact on viewers who loved Anne, Gilbert, and the many other familiar faces of Avonlea in the first two films by placing these characters in harm's way. Sullivan shakes the gentle world of Avonlea with the spectre of WWI in a manner that expertly mirrors the real experiences of Islanders during that terrible conflict. He deepens his exploration of Anne and Gilbert's relationship and demonstrates how their love and commitment can transcend the devastation and despair of the battlefields of France. This is a mature, impactful film that radiates respect for the experience of WWI troops and their loved ones at home. I respect fans' of the books sadness at the disconnect between this film and the literature. But as a film, considered independently from the books, The Continuing Story is truly wonderful to watch.
Whythorne
I am not one to get completely down on a movie because it isn't 100% faithful to a book upon which it draws inspiration. But if one is doing a follow-up to an already established film series, it seems to me it is just plain common sense that the follow-up should have some continuity in character personality and theme.The previous Anne of Green Gables installments relied heavily on the charm of both its characters and Canadian setting for its success. In this movie neither the characters nor the setting are even given the chance.The actors aged 13 years since the last sequel but for some reason look even older than their real-life early 30s. This is a detriment when we are supposed to believe they are still in their early twenties. Of course, what doesn't help at all is the fact that both Anne and Gil behave like folks who are worn down by life...even before they have had their WWI battlefield experiences. If Megan Follows had exhibited more of the fresh spunk and liveliness that made the Anne character endearing in previous episodes, it would have been easier to overlook the drawn face with the age lines around her mouth. Jonathan Crombie's Gil Blythe does no better, acting as drawn and haggard as he looks.Simple plots based on small-town personalities, relationships, ambitions, etc. have been likewise removed in favor of a more "grandiose" plot involving Anne traipsing around WWI Europe in search of her husband with somebody else's baby in tow. The story not only comes off dull but conveniently contrived to boot. Is it just me, or did anyone else find it odd that, with the millions of combatants and support personnel engaged in WW1 Europe, Anne kept running into people she knew? Further, scenes with the diminutive Megan Follows lugging a large baby around that is nearly as big as her also came off as visually ridiculous.Unfortunately, since the characters in this sequel bear little resemblance to previous incarnations, and since even the charm of Prince Edward Island has been supplanted with war-torn Europe, we are only left with asking the following question: Why bother?It is as if the writer/director et al thought, "Well, the names are the same, and the actors are the same. That will appease the Anne of Green Gables faithful. For everybody else, we have a nice, sappy WWI melodrama!"Relentlessly tedious, bleak and humorless, this "Continuing Story" continues scarcely little of the original flavor of the first two movies nor the "Road to Avonlea" TV series. Speaking as someone who is not even a devoted fan of Anne of Green Gables to begin with, this film makes me sorry for those who are.
