I hate it

Rating: 8/10 (28 January 2011)

With a passion. You know why? It broke my heart. Broke it into a million pieces, over and over and over again.
I haven't read King Lear, so I cannot comment on whether this is related to the play or not. It is, however, a tragedy of monumentally saddening proportions.
The movie details the turns Hidetora's life takes, after he cedes the throne to his sons and watches them turn his world into ash. The movie details the man's fall, starting out slowly and gathering momentum as it goes along. This movie does not seek to make anyone happy, not its viewers, and certainly not its characters. They are led through war, betrayal, suicide and immense amounts of pain. And they come out broken and tortured.
Hidetora is tormented by all the wars he has instigated and all the suffering he has caused. Those who he has burnt in his pursuit of power all bear their scars openly, some through hate and others through sorrow. His sons are constantly plotting against him and each other, driven by greed and women. Their advisors are helpless to watch as their lords fall into ruin, taking them with.
And the innocent all fall in the wake of the strong.
I will not watch this movie again. Dealing with pain is not my forte.