Film Review: Anna Karenina

Owing to the considerable amount of negative feedback it has received from a number of critiques and viewers alike, I almost feel criminal for admitting that I really, really enjoyed Joe Wright’s film adaptation of Tom Stoppard’s screenplay adaptation of Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina. However, prejudice and blissful ignorance might be the underlying reasons for the pleasure I took in watching this film. “Prejudice” because I’ve always held a high regard for Wright’s ability to deliver a unique, bold and visionary personality through his works such as Pride and Prejudice (2005) and Atonement (2007), and “ignorance” because I’ve yet the chance to read Tolstoy’s novel.

That being the case, I thought that Wright’s last minute decision to shoot a majority of the film on set within the confinements of a theatrical stage was an act of daring creative brilliance. The film somewhat lacks the emotional depth of Tolstoy’s characters and seems to contradict the writer’s bleak and tragic view of the world, due to its musical tempo, use of lighting and vibrant colours, and finally, its manipulation of stage directions where actors perform like puppets. However, by doing so, I believe that Wright offers us a bittersweet understanding to Anna (Kiera Knightley), whose life is literally taken to the stage to be constantly made a spectacle of. She’s reduced to the empty shell of a doll, subjected to constant gossip and socially condemned by judging aristocrats.

Anna Karenina represents late 19th century Russian high-society in such a way as William Shakespeare described in his pastoral comedy As You Like It (1600) that “all the world’s a stage, and all the men and women are merely players.” The theatrical acting, rhythmic camera movements and action sequences, picturesque set and costume designs work harmoniously together to capture the beautiful yet miserably desperate world that Anna and Count Vronsky (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) find themselves trapped in. In order to cram 864 pages into 129 minutes, Wright uses symbolism and imagery as a major instrument of storytelling. For instance, even though Anna and Count Vronsky starkly contrast each other, they are bound together in a yin and yang relationship, which Wright reinforces through bold textures such as Vronsky’s golden hair compared to Anna’s dark locks, and his white attire in juxtaposition to her black dress. Furthermore, the couple is made to stand out in order to emphasize this idea that they are always onstage while the rest of the world seems to revolve around them.

I said it once, and I’ll say it again: I really, really enjoyed Anna Karenina. Wright’s interpretation of Tolstoy’s novel is from an artistic and personal perspective. Wright had started out his career by working with his parents in the puppet theatre they founded. Likewise, watching Anna Karenina is like watching a puppet show, but it’s so much more exciting than just that. It’s passion in the form of dancing, colour and character. So rather than comparing it to the novel, though that’s not to say that roots don’t matter, I think the film has enough capacity to stand on its own two feet.

Anna Karenina is currently playing in limited release in Australia.

ANNA KARENINA
Directed by: Joe Wright
Written by: Tom Stoppard, Leo Tolstoy
Cast: Keira Knightley, Jude Law, Aaron-Taylor Johnson, Kelly Macdonald
Released by: Universal Pictures / Working Title Films
Website: http://www.annakareninathemovie.com