Not up to the Hype, but worth seeing

Rating: 8/10 (5 March 2007)

I went into this movie with high expectations, based on reviews, rather than word of mouth.
The visuals, and the fable plot, were worth seeing. The message, though obvious, was deftly presented, and I was moved to tears.
On the other hand, the gory political polemic that predominated was overdone, and even more obvious. I was bored by it long before the movie ended. As a result, the film seemed long and drawn out. It would have been improved by more focus on the fable/fantasy aspects, or tighter editing.
The acting was superb, even those in the small roles were believable. I never felt I was watching a performance - they each inhabited their roles.