" the red violin " is a cold , sterile feature that leaves you uninvolved and detached . it's a movie that seems almost clinical , as it traces the 300-plus-years history of the legendary musical instrument of the title . opening in the 17th century , the story shows how violin-maker nicolo bussotti created the instrument as a gift for his unborn son . but when tragedy strikes , the violin becomes the personification of its maker's grief . from there the violin comes into the hands of an orphaned child prodigy at an austrian monastery . again , tragedy strikes as the child is struck down at the moment of his triumph . we follow the violin through the centuries as it finds a home in england and in mao's communist china before being discovered by expert charles morritz ( samuel l . jackson ) , who mounts a painstaking investigation to prove its authenticity . the violin becomes morritz's obsession , just as it is for all those who converge on a montreal auction house to bid on it . morritz , however , is the only one who knows the secret of the instrument and can understand and appreciate its creator's intention . " the red violin " could have been a touching , inspirational story , as soaring as a beethoven symphony . however director francois girard fails to make any emotional connection with the viewer . here is a story that could have made use of various camera angles and lighting to heighten its impact . girard , for some unknown reason , uses mostly master shots , keeping his camera - and thus us - at a distance . we get no feel for the miracle that is the violin . it's resonance , its purity of sound are not emphasized enough to make an impression . nor are any of the performances memorable . it's as if girard wanted all his actors to play second fiddle to his violin . " the red violin " promises much , but delivers little . it is dull at times , a bit pretentious and a might murky . the movie's music soars over its story and performers . and that is its only saving grace .
