An esoteric poetic novel transformed into cinematic magic.

Rating: 9/10 (2 January 2001)

I've honestly tried to like Ondaatje's works; they seem like they'd make great reading, especially the one about Jesse James. But he's not to my taste, not at all. I'm not able to appreciate his greatness, and I'm sorry to be so limited. Given that, it's not surprising that I wondered if Minghella could make much of "The English Patient." Did he ever! Yes, there are many fine, better than fine, acting performances (Naveen Andrews, especially), astonishing cinematography. But Minghella worked the alchemy here, made a lively story, cut away much from what was already a fairly short work, more a novella than a novel -- and created what seemed like a vast saga, spanning centuries -- crossing continents -- and gave us a story of forgiveness, of the terrors and wonders of both hate and love, but most typically -- a story of humanity transcending nationality, again and again. We may embrace across all sorts of borders, even hatred -- and better ourselves doing so. This embrace transcends time and death and culture. A master work.