The Legend of Suriyothai (2003) attempts to tell the story of turbulent times spanning twenty years between 1528 and 1548, a time when the hierarchy of the ruling houses was in ruin due to various plotting, the Burmese posed a threat along the borders of the kingdom, and a young woman put her country first over her own love and eventually her life. And, no that isn't a spoiler. Besides the fact that it is a part of history, the opening voice over of the film basically informs us of the last scenes content when Suriyothai gives her life in battle.

The crux of the story unfolds with a young Suriyothai in love with a promising military commander and childhood friend, Lord Piren. However, her family suggests she marry the more affluent Prince Tien, the king's second son, because it will bode well for their families and create a harmonious union between two of the more noble houses. Suriyothai enters into the marriage and, after some hesitation, she does so willingly and without bitterness because she realizes what is the best in the grand scheme. As the years go on, the reigning house sees a constant change of the guard, the king dies of smallpox, his infant heir is usurped by his older son, Prince Tien's brother, who is later manipulated and poisoned by his consort, Lady Srisudachan, who has begun an affair and wants to manipulate things so that her bastard child and lover will gain the power to rule the kingdom.

This US cut, courtesy of Francis Ford Coppola and American Zeotrope, hacks the five hour film in half and unfortunately it shows. While I haven't seen the full cut, I can only imagine that the gaps in character and the sketchy rushed feel of events are due to whittling away at the films narrative. If a story is supposed to take five, six, eight hours to tell, then that is the way it should be. So, it is a bit like the skin of a movie. Still, the drive of the story is there, the plotting and scheming of the Lady Macbethlike Lady Srisudachan, the battle scenes, but Suriyothai herself is a bit more like a supporting player, always there to lend a level head and supportive word to her unsure husband but not exactly the films centerpiece. The real scene and story stealer is Lady Srisudachan, whose own drive for survival and her self interests is as strong as Suriyothai's love of her country.

The Legend of Suriyothai was directed by Chatri Chalerm Yukol. To be more specific, that is Prince Chatri Chalerm Yukol. Yep, a bonofide prince of the Thai kingdom who wrangled this epic feature and co-funded the 15 million dollar film with some of the countries, thus essentially his, money. And, what is more fitting a story for a prince to direct? It certainly meets the qualifications to be of great interest to him. While it has all the making of an opulent Cecil B. DeMille epic, I actually found the film to be a little light on the bombastic scale it needed. While the sight of large crowd scenes, lush palace interiors, bad omens, and elephants lumbering into battle with canon fire behind them is all fine and well, adding that essential epic ambiance, the acting is a tad stilted and the overall nature of the cutthroat ambition of the scheming would-be-kings and queens is a little predictable. It plays out how you would expect it, and characters are settled into one-dimensional roles. Likewise, the action, despite it's scale, is substandard. It is an epic that never really breaks out. Nice eye-candy for sure, but they should have pressed the melodrama just a bit more. I dare say a little overacting probably would have helped.

The DVD: Columbia-Tristar

Picture: Anamorphic Widescreen. Overall a b-grade transfer. Certainly pleasant enough to watch, but not without its quirks. Average, I'd say. The color palette is diffused with a constant warm look, heavy with reds and oranges, definitely giving one a great feel for the locale. Softness and contrast could be a bit more defined. Specifically, in some outdoor location scenes the image is a tad too soft, whereas in some interiors the blacks could be deeper. Slight edge enhancement is noticeable but not to an annoying degree.

Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1 Thai language with optional English subtitles. From the opening boom of the drums on the music track, most audiophiles should be pleased. Ambient noises and fx are quite well done, be it the subtleties of wind or the more obvious sounds of battle. Dialogue is also rendered well, and the surround gets a decent enough workout with fx in the rear channels.

Extras: Chapter Selections--- Trailers--- Photo Gallery--- Seven Deleted Scenes. Rough looking and around two minutes each.--- "Making of" Featurette. The information is a bit crammed, yet it does a decent job of going over the various aspects of the production and is insightful (18:01)--- Director and Executive Producer Commentary.

Conclusion: While I think it falls short of its lofty ambition, no doubt thanks to this version being an edited edition, I'll still recommend it to the curious foreign film fan. The movie still entertains and the DVD transfer is decent enough with some fair extras making it worth a flirting purchase or a rental.