Interesting only because the entire lavish, Tolstoy penned story plays out almost entirely on sets, sets created for the film that look like theater sets from around the same period. There is a horse race across the wooden planks of the theater for instance. Every now and again we get lush endless landscapes outside w/natural light, very shocking and the pacing of the staging and dialog sound like a musical sans music. Very odd, but compelling.
All 3 main characters are completely soulless and wooden (either because they're written that way or because the actors played them that way, unclear). Jude Law is made to look like an aging doofus, Kiera Knightley is constantly bathed in the perfectly golden light as is her paramour the (very, overly) young Aaron Taylor-Johnson who is very blond and very effeminate. Also uncl whether that is as played or written.
Plenty of big name actors in the secondary parts, but overwhelmingly peopled with crowds of extras in amazing costumes and hairdo's.
The dance/waltz scene is shocking and lovely. Characters move in and around scenes and other characters like they're all stuck in a music box where their feet are planted in the wooden bottom of the box, but they keep spinning nonetheless. This is all about style.
If you do not like costume dramas, you won't like this. If you love Tolstoy and the story and the long legacy of AK films you might not like this either. However, if you are into something new and can be open to the high stylization of it all, you might have a strangely good time.
Goes on just a touch too long, but is rather magnificent in production. Almost any actress would have been better/more interesting than Knightley but, oh well.
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