Stunning

The story (plot if you prefer) is well known and it may help to know it beforehand thereby leaving the viewer free to appreciate the rest of it.

Sets, costumes, soundtrack and cinematography are amongst the best you'll ever find in cinema. Simple as that. The supporting cast is very strong and they really needed to be. If I were to praise them all this review would be too long and perhaps feel somewhat gushing, but when it's good, say it's good.

Yun-Fat Chow has such a light touch that you need to see the film a number of times to appreciate his sleight of hand in the role and it becomes more appreciable considering his female counterpart. Chow needs more roles like this because he has serious talent that is wasted in action films.

Jodie Foster's portrayal of Leonowens is rock solid. Her British accent, though sometimes overly clipped, is almost word and syllable perfect - languages are one of her many gifts. She looks superb; redhead hence the pale skin leaving her face in almost a single plane out of which her piercing blue eyes become watchful and intelligent rather than soft and alluring, until darkness falls.

The film is a bit epic in terms of length but only according to the clock because it entertains on so many levels, time becomes irrelevant. Some films can seem long at 90 minutes, this is exactly the right length thanks to thoughtful writing and incredible direction.

10/10