"Sorcery. Passion. Stupidity. Treachery. Revenge."

That's how Miramax are pitching their take on The Tempest - which, if you recall, stars Helen Mirren at the manly sorcerer Prospero. Or, ahem, Prospera. Directed by Julie Taymor, the adaptation of Shakespeare's late play is playing up its key strengths. Namely, some flashy visuals and a brilliantly impressive cast.

With Ben Whishaw as the magical Ariel (hell yes) and Djimon Hounsou as the angry oppressed Caliban, Taymor's ensemble even manages to put Russell Brand to good use - the perfect choice for a bawdy bit of comedy Shakespeare sub-plotting. Filling out the rest of the roles are Alfred Molina, Chris Cooper, David Straithairn, Alan Cumming, Tom Conti and Felicity Jones. 

Aiming firmly for the genre of mystical thriller, The Tempest will dazzle Americans on Friday 10th December. There's no word of a UK release date yet. But with its epic special effects and excellent acting talent, I'll pay to distribute this movie myself. And I don't even like the original play The Tempest that much.

Read on for the full video.