Academy Award winner Jodie Foster and international action star Chow Yun-Fat bring to life the epic true story of a woman who challenged the heart of a king and inspired the destiny of a nation. English school teacher Anna Leonowens has traveled to Siam to educate the fifty-eight children of King Mongkut. If she has preconceived notions about the East, the King has similar notions about the West. But amid the danger of growing political unrest, their respect for each other slowly turns into something more.
Foster moves gracefully in period costumes and commands the screen charismatically; her stab at a Victorian accent is respectable if not perfect. Caleb Deschanel’s widescreen lensing in Malaysia (standing in for Thailand) is eye-popping and probably a reflection of helmer’s conception. Luciana Arrighi’s lavish design, Jenny Beavan’s sumptuous costumes and George Fenton’s melodic score contribute to an extremely sentimental but undeniably gratifying diversion.- Variety