Bettany wonderfully underplays his role. Yet he imbues the film with considerable amount of intensity. There are several other good performances, especially by Lee Ingleby as the doomed Hollom and Max Pirkis as the courageous 12-year-old boy Lord Blakeney.

There are quite a few scenes in the film that could upset some. They are more intense, grislier and awful than the war scenes. These involve a young boy's arm being amputated or the use of a coin to patch up a skull. Or the sequence, when Maturin directs surgery on himself.

A few minutes into the film, one starts suspecting it will be a strong contender for major Oscar nominations. By the time it ends, one is convinced that it deserves to win many Oscars, especially for its technical achievements.

More Slide Shows | Tell us what you think!

Email this page to a friend