Anna Karenina Review

Throughout the months of December and January, cinemas across the country will be screening the newest adaptation of Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina. The novel has previously been made into ballets, films, operas, musicals, and television movies. Because the novel is a tale of a love, adultery and societal pressures in Imperial Russia, famous British actors were chosen to play to prestigious main roles in the movie. Although the movie provides beautifully setting, choreography, and costume, keeping track with the rapid setting change was difficult. The successful aspects of the movie included the set and the costumes. Visually arresting, the cities of Moscow and St. Petersburg are rendered as elaborate stage sets. The intricate costumes used gave the film an elegant and prominent feel. The music used throughout the movie went well with the scenes. As tension heightened the music became dramatic and intense. In romantic and heartfelt scenes, the music became fresh and energetic. Most importantly, the actors chosen to portray Anna Karenina, Aleksei Karenin, and Count Aleksandr Vronsky are among the world’s top actors. Keira Knightley, Jude Law, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson delivered outstanding performances. The actors truly adapted to their roles and gave countless strong emotional scenes. Time was one of the major issues with the movie. Due to the movie being completely filmed in an opera house, setting changes were rapid and confusing. It was difficult to keep up with the characters. Constant movement between Moscow and St. Petersburg made the movie confusing at times. The novel is over eight hundred pages and was compressed into a two hour movie. Perhaps the most captivating relationship in the movie between Kitty and Levin was not given as much screen time as it deserved, despite the exceptional performances. The latest adaption of Anna Karenina isn’t as spellbinding and grasping as the trailer made it out to be. Reading the novel prior to seeing the