Anna Karenina [DVD] [2012]

I bought this movie based on my wife's interest in Pride & Prejudice, as this was advertised to be similar. It was only slightly similar. The period was the same, the story had some slight similarities, the acting was great. The shooting style was strange, different, sometimes bizarre, and almost always distracting from the story. I am sure some people will praise the genius of the cinematographer and director, but my wife and I just kept saying "Huh?". I would have fully enjoyed the movie if it was filmed in a traditional fashion. In the end, it is worth watching once, it's not a movie I would ever want to see twice.

I can't explain how disturbed I was to watch this movie. The way the sets were changed - like a play - torn down & rebuilt right before my eyes as the film evolved. The film suffers horribly by the self-indulgent Director, Joe Wright. His 'aren't I so clever and cool' approach to the telling of this story of two horribly selfish people and the lives they uncaringly destroy, is marred beyond repair. Re-shrink this DVD if you have it & give it to someone you hate for Christmas. Then giggle.

Joe Wright does a truly daring feat as he presents this film as predominantly a stage play. I imagine he wanted to accentuate the restrictions and unreality imposed on human emotions and choices by strict societal code and conventions. Anna Karenina is about a woman who broke its bonds for love and paid with a deep price. Kiera Knightly is as beautiful as the production if a little affected to break our hearts as she should. The cast, especially Jude Law as the cuckhold husband, is superb.

Of course, this movie is based on the classic novel. Some say it was the best novel ever written. I do not know, as I have not read the novel. However, this movie was difficult to follow. My wife gave up about half way through and left me to watch it alone. In the end, the story itself was good and Keira Knighly gave a wonderful performance. I think reading about the novel before watching it would have helped.

Love this film! Not only does it tell the classic tale, it does it in a fantastic fashion. Set in a small theater, the story unfolds as if a band of actors is playing out the various parts while the setting of the story is confined, but not limited to, the actual theater. It's definitely a brilliant film with the most superb settings and costumes. And boy, what a stunning cast. Excellent. Highly recommended.

Will Keira ever be better than in this? That's hard for me to imagine. She is so perfectly cast that I think her acting has been underrated. I know people who don't like this and I find that hard to fathom. It is highly stylized, sort of Moulin Rougey without the pop songs. If you don't like it there's something very wrong with you (Kidding, kind of....)

Disc was great, quality terrific, though I still can't understand what the heck an "Ultraviolet Digital Copy" means. Why would I want a copy in any format of the DVD I already purchased? Oh well, maybe I'm just too old for this. Yes, all the above was fine; I just didn't care for the movie. Great cast, but so-so otherwise. That's why I gave it four stars.

If there never was the Tolstoy classic, this movie might warrant another star. That said, although visually gorgeous, the movie just can't escape its literary predecessor. Not only is it a shell of the book, the movie departs from the book in several key and befuddling ways. Perhaps worth a viewing, but those who have read the book may want to skip this.