Timeless and breathtaking...

Rating: Null/10 (6 September 2001)

Incredible detail in story, costume, scenery and characterization makes this one of the best historical movies ever made. It is very long, about twelve minutes shy of a solid four hours, but flows at an even pace throughout.
I never saw this film before last night, and even planned to watch the second half tonight, but I simply couldn't stop watching.

Witnessing the Emperors' rise to power and then his desperate attempt to regain such a following once he's lost it (after the Chinese revolution) was an incredible angle that I have never seen in a movie before. It's also interesting how these events affect the people around him, namely his followers and family.
Even though it's fifteen years old, which would have made me thirteen when it was released, I feel that this movie offered far more than what the current "art" and mainstream titles have to offer.
Rent the movie if you're at all interested in learning about one of the most interesting figures in World history.