Director: Joe Wright
Starring: Keira Knightley, Aaron-Taylor Johnson, Jude Law, Matthew Macfadyen, Kelly Macdonald, Domhnall Gleeson
Running time: 130 minutes
Certificate: 12A
Synopsis: Married at 18, Anna Karenina (Knightley) is locked into a loveless marriage to Alexei Karenin (Law). When Count Vronsky (Taylor-Johnson) arrives on the scene, Karenina must choose between her marriage and her reputation.
As a fan of Joe Wright’s past book-to-screen adaptations (PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, ATONEMENT) I’m not sure what I was expecting from his latest foray – an adaptation of Leo Tolstoy’s 1877 novel of the same name. From what I saw from the trailer, I knew it was going to be on a different level to the countryside setting of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, and maybe even darker (content-wise) than the war-torn ATONEMENT. I’d also heard that the production team had fashioned the sets from an old, empty theatre, so filming could move swiftly from one ‘location’ to another. Clever, right? You haven’t seen anything yet…
The first thing I noticed was the continuous movement on screen. Kinetic energy flowed from person to person. At the beginning, Knightley is seen reading a letter while her maid dresses her, swirling around and round her body, almost as if they’re dancing together. And this feeling sweeps through the whole film; from waiters to hay-makers, everyone is in sync with one another, making ANNA KARENINA a marvel to watch. Continuing on the visuals, Wright’s production team have certainly out-done themselves. From the first minute, the camera trails through what seems like a house, but is actually a huge stage, with pieces of scenery moving in front of your eyes. One clever scene watches Konstantin Levin (Gleeson) leave one ‘location’, only to walk a few steps and arrive inside a private room of a restaurant (with a little help from some ornate screens). The scenery isn’t the only element worthy of admiration – the costume designer, Jacqueline Durran, has brought to life clothing you would only see in 19-century paintings. Knightley is dressed, time and again, in some brilliant costumes (and stunning jewellery), which, along with the narrative and her dwindling reputation, could represent the action without her saying a word.
But the film wouldn’t be as fantastic as it is without the witty dialogue. Macfadyen (as Karenina’s brother, Oblonsky) is the comedic driving force, with line after line of clever comments (and some very animated eyebrows!). That’s not to say that ANNA KARENINA is a comedy – far from it. The film is dark, almost ominous, in its themes of love, betrayal, deceit and death. Every character has their own place, whether that be the devoted wife (Macdonald as Dolly, Oblonsky’s wife), the lover (Taylor-Johnson as Count Vronsky) or the gossip-loving royal (Princess Betsy, played by the beautiful Ruth Wilson). Everyone has an impact on Anna’s life, which makes Knightley believable. She truly looks affected by what the other characters say, from their snide comments and whispers to the dirty looks across the ballroom. At first, I wasn’t sure whether to like or loathe Anna, but by the end, more than anything, I pitied her. Knightley brings her to life, proving once again how brilliant an actress she really is.
With scenery as wonderful, intelligent and imaginative as this, awesome visuals, believable characters and a super-talented cast (including DOWNTON ABBEY’s Michelle Dockery and – I’m pretty certain but can’t be sure – THIS IS ENGLAND’s Vicky McClure as a non-speaking extra), ANNA KARENINA is fabulous. Charming, engaging, entertaining, it comfortably fits its 2 hours 10 minutes running time. Every scene is key and packed to the brim with talent. Superb!
ANNA KARENINA hits UK cinemas from 7th September.
