Visual wizardry gorgeous to watch
‘Karenina’
a country squire named Levin (Domhnall Gleeson), who has romantic notions involving one of Oblonsky’s daughters, Kitty (Alicia Vikander).
The subplot, which ffgures prominently in the novel’s themes, has been given short shrift in earlier fflm adaptations, but it’s a wise move to include it here.
Levin’s ideals of honor and God offer a necessary counterbalance to the romantic mistakes and social deffance that Anna eventually embraces.
In that regard, the adapted screenplay by Tom Stoppard emphasizes the different attitudes toward extramarital affairs in Russian society in the late 19th century. Romantic dalliances are allowed for men, who suffer little or no loss in social status. But they’re not at all acceptable for women.
That becomes particularly important for Anna, who has a child with her reserved, much older husband Count Alexei Karenin ( Jude Law) back in St. Petersburg. When she meets the dashing Count Vronsky (Aaron TaylorJohnson) upon her arrival in Moscow, she initially resists his considerable charms. But there’s little doubt as to where this story is headed.
As Anna, Knightley reins in some of her more unfortunate tendencies to overact that were so apparent in 2011’s “A Dangerous Method.” But she still doesn’t manage to capture the essence of Tolstoy’s Anna.
In the movie, she’s exquisitely coiffed, almost like a doll. But she doesn’t have the full, earthy passions of Tolstoy’s Anna. Part of that has to do with the artiffciality of the movie’s staging. And part of it simply has to do with Knightley’s acting choices.
Still, the artiffciality of this new “Anna Karenina” offers much to admire. The director creates breathtaking scenes, with highly stylized moments literally fading away as a door opens into the wintry, real world.
A horse race begins on stage, then goes to the countryside and eventually ends up back on stage. It’s sheer visual wizardry. And then there are the elaborate dances — perfectly choregraphed set pieces that reveal the characters’ emotions.
Wright, whose previous directing efforts include the critically praised “Atonement” and “Pride and Prejudice,” is clearly comfortable with costume dramas.
With “Anna Karenina,” however, he enters more stylized territory. Some might ffnd it emotionally distant, and that’s a valid observation. But “Anna Karenina” is gorgeous to watch. It’s bound to rack up multiple Oscar nominations, especially in the technical categories — and it should.