Anna and the King is a mild and ordinary film. Anna and the King follows the story of English schoolteacher Anna Leonowens (Foster) and her relationship with King Mongkut (Yun-Fat) of Siam. Anna has done something that women of that Victorian Age simply never do. The young widow has traveled thousands of miles with her son to a land that is unknown to the Western world. Anna has been employed to educate the King of Siam's fifty-eight children. She knows very little of King Mongkut, apart from the fact that his people refer to him as a god. Anna soon learns that her views are totally different than the King's. Overtime, Anna and the King share a unique connection. Anna realizes that King Mongkut is a true visionary leader, and the King realizes that Anna is an influential force in Siam.

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Anna and the King is one of those movies that is very well made and enjoyable. However, the movie doesn't have anything special in it or going for it.

The acting ensemble in the film is focused and respectable. Jodie Foster and Chow Yun-Fat create established characters and nice chemistry. I really do believe that Chow Yun-Fat is getting better and better with his roles in Hollywood. Yun-Fat is a huge superstar in Asia, but he needs only a few more movies under his belt before he can breakthrough into Hollywood.

Anna and the King is a remake of the popular musical story The King and I. The King and I has previously been successful as a film and a musical on Broadway. However, last year's animated feature of The King and I failed at the box office. This 1999 version could be a hit, or it could get lost during the busy holiday season.

As I said before, Anna and the King is a well-made film that doesn't have many flaws. However, the film is modest and doesn’t deliver anything really unique.

Report Card Grade: B-

Beastman's Movie Reviews

Joseph C Tucker
Copyright, 2000 Joseph C. Tucker, reprinted with kind permission.