Moving and spectacular

Rating: 9/10 (3 October 2006)

The Last Emperor is a rare achievement with lavish historical films in it that is compelling as well as moving, along with being spectacular. It captures with grace those last days of the Chinese empire and all its glory and terror. John Lone stars as the adult Pu Yi, a man of tragic fate but of noble principles. Lone shines in his part, as well as other actors like Joan Chen and Peter O'Toole, who plays the young Pu Yi's mentor.
This visually splendid film can however prove exhausting, especially in its uncut version. But for all the negative criticism it has got, it never gets dull. Bertolucci has never done a movie like this before or after. The closest he got to it was with "Little Buddha", a movie not as good as this one. What else is there to say about it? It serves both as a history lesson for those who know little or nothing about the Chinese history before Mao and a feast for the eye. It is a lesson that can not be taken for granted. A story about a man who wanted to build a paradise, but ended in hell instead. I think the value of this film is everlasting. It is not perfect, but as close to it as a great historical epic can be.