Anna Karenina

Fortunately, this is not a heavy-handed adaptation of a heavy-handed novel. Thanks to Joe Wright, Anna Karenina is a stunningly playful piece of work, which takes the most important things from the subject, never bores for a minute and, at least for the first half, makes the viewer watch all the visual inventiveness with a smile. The acting performances, led by Keira Knightley and Jude Law, are without a single flaw (Vronský has always struck me as very sleazy, so I actually welcomed the unsympathetic dummy), the costumes, the sets, the music... Everything's perfect. Lots of literally unforgettable scenes that I definitely want to see again. (12/01/2013)

I really enjoyed seeing Alicia Vikander’s face, as well as Kelly Macdonald's presence and Jude Law's performance. Everything else was pointless. The theater belongs in the theater and Keira can finally stop reigning. I still get the feeling from her that her supposed talent isn't half as pronounced as her eyebrows. On the other hand, I have perhaps never seen such mannerisms from Karenina before. And that's saying something. (08/12/2012)

A beautifully made, pointless thing. Really, even though I can appreciate the way the film is made, in a theatre backstage, this approach doesn’t bring any added value. Actually, I thought it was counterproductive, because the loud unrealism distracted me from the characters, which means that Anna Karenina missed me completely on an emotional level – with the minor exception of sowing hatred towards the protagonist. (22/12/2012)

It didn't work out. Joe Wright has once again immersed himself in the waters of a period drama with perfect camera work, a captivating soundtrack from Darlo Marianelli, and the queen Keira Knightley, but this time he stumbled. There is none of the enchantment of Pride and Prejudice or the intimate fatalism of Atonement. Anna Karenina loses me due to its uninteresting supporting characters, at times disruptive theatrical form, and most importantly, the emotions that are lacking most of the time. I admired Vronsky or respected Minister Karenin, but all the loves and sufferings of the main triangle evoked less of a surrender from me and more of a cautious interest. And that is an inevitable disappointment when it comes to Wright adapting classic literature. (26/12/2012)

Joe Wright won me over with his phenomenal film adaptations of Pride & Prejudice and Atonement, so I was counting on Anna Karenina to be another film that would fully immerse me and transport me with its atmosphere to the time in which the story takes place. Unfortunately, I have to say that this time it didn't happen. The original approach to the film's space, which is largely set in a theatre, seems very imaginative at first glance, no question about it. But the great novel (story) that "Anna Karenina" undoubtedly is is very much harmed by the confinement between four "bare" walls, not to mention the way the sets and props look (the use of a model train, I don't know why, irritated me quite a bit). As for the cast, at times I felt that some of the actors didn't take their roles too seriously (maybe a connection to the theatre, who knows), which was a bit annoying. In short, this film was quite a disappointment for me, which is all the more so considering the director's previous efforts. (26/06/2013)