Anna and the King was a beautiful film of a venture into a culture different from the mainstream even then–Siam, 1862. The beauty of the monarch was hindered by the fact that he could not do the right thing when the right thing was necessary. This is why Divine Administration is needed–so those who are ruled do not make wrong decision over the rulers. A ruler should not be helpless to do the right thing. When that happens, you could have a president, a king, or a monarch with no power to implement the will of God. A great performance by Chow Yun-Fat was given, but for those who are used to watching action films, this is not one to go to. There is, however, enough honor and chivalry to give most of the male viewers a sense of connection.
There were some pretty dumb statements, particular one by the king when he said: Knowing you, now I understand how a man could wish to be with one woman. Jody Foster just did not come off as the kind of woman the original woman was. The King's first wife, a beautiful Asian woman, appeared to be much more virtuous and intelligent than Jody Foster's character. So, the statement the king made did not make any sense.
Also, the song at the end of the movie, an American stylized pop ballad was very, very out of place and should not have been there. The song caused the emotions to go from sacredness to all of a sudden "la de da" Hollywood. The record label obviously bought the time. After the song was over they played oriental music, but by then you lost the feel of the whole movie.
~Gabriel of Urantia*MPAA = Motion Picture Association of America
