Whilst it is easy to say that of necessity some of the performances were wooden there is still much to admire in its design and production. Benigni, although not required for much of it, is excellent.
While the story is fine without being original the performances are what make it worthwhile and for me, Niamh Algar topped the lot with Ned Dennehy close behind.
The serviceable special effects are a major reason for the enjoyability of the film. Although it is probably a touch long for the material its "don't take me seriously" attitude stays the course.
Although there is some excitement to the extent that some of the characters lose their heads the slow motion cinematography soothes things down again. Excellent work by the special effects team. Part II is a chance to see the things you missed in Part I.