The Last Emperor: Review By moviegeek

Lavishly made, grandly produced, and beautifully human, The Last Emperor is a remarkably good film. Detailing the true story of China's last emperor (before it became a republic), Pu Yi, the movie chronicles his more modern life in prison during WWII and his childhood through adulthood, seated on the throne in the Forbidden City.

I really don't know where to start with this movie. Looking at it, it seems like an impossible movie to make. Not only was this the first movie to be shot in the Forbidden City itself, but it also follows that grand pattern with the rest of the film. The sets are realistic, the costumes are splendid, the acting is spot-on, the cinematography is breathtaking, the pacing is acute yet slow and ponderous; everything is so meticulously fashioned and gigantically larger than itself that it actually manages to capture the spirit, pride, and humanity of the largest nation in the world.

Pu Yi is placed on the throne at the age of three. Caged in the imperial life growing up, he soon develops a desire to live outside of his walls. As the 40-year-old Pu Yi chronicles and remembers his life from prison, we don't see a different emperor as he ages. Instead, from childhood to manhood, we see the portrait of a growing and stifled individual.

The Last Emperor plays out as an biographical epic. It takes its time and slowly unveils each and every piece of who he is and who he rules. There are moments of fascinating cultural symbolism as well as many relatable issues involving relationships, trust, and purpose. There is heart and majesty enclosed in this massive film.

In the most unreal of ways, this movie works. It works as cultural eye candy, as a historical epic, as a character study, as a biography, as a lavish production, and as a subtle journey into the heart of a man. The Last Emperor is full of life and bursting with glory. In its tender humanity and grand operatic momentum, it comes tremendously alive.