Great film! Real emotions, real life! Heroes were on the top! Music brilliantly selected!

Like a rare aligning of stars in the sky, sometimes a film finds the perfect images to tell its story. All the begining of THE ENGLISH PATIENT is Misterious and magical. Images appear in front of our eyes without a shape. It's like we have just woken up from a dream. Sand. No, a rough paper. A brush lightly touches it creating a swimming figure, that ends up swimming in a real desert. The shadow of an airplane also swims the desert. and then, the airplane itself. A woman. Is she sleeping? Are we dreaming? Behind her, a man, without a face flies her in a romantic and dreamy sequence. But the airplane is shot by some soldiers, and the fire, more like the light at the end of the tunnel, devours Count Almasy. THE HEART IS AN ORGAN OF FIRE, we know later. The impressive start of this film is like brushes on a canvas and the public is witness of the creation, from something abstract, until it shapes into a Love story that is too cruel to imagine. There is another scene that steals the whole film. Count Almasy is dancing with Katherine. He stares at her, tall, severe. She lowers her eyes and never looks at him again. She has understood that she is a victim, even if she tries to be a very independent woman. Her life will be decided by two men. Her husband, who decides to kill her, Almasy and himself. And then, Almasy leaves her in a cave (her very own Tomb). His real objective is to save her, but he has become the Monster in this forbiden love affair. Hanna says at the begining that she is cursed. But we understand that Count Almasy is followed by a deeper curse, since he is the angel of death himself, leaving her to die, causing the castration of Caravaggio and becoming a living dead without identity. The english patient is a rare masterpiece because every part of it fits in a story that grows within itself.… Collapse

Great film. Very epic in style and so much emotion that it tears the screen.

A movie big in scope but taking itself too seriously. Critics justify their pomposity by glomming on to such films. It would have been better appreciated as a little gem if it hadn't been acclaimed as a big gem. Perhaps the Oscar pickings were slim that year.

Nothing to offer, overated, long and boring.

My co-workers raved about this movie and when it first became available on VHS, I rented it. I watched the whole thing and I think it is way overrated. This was no love story that I could relate to in any way. I'm really glad I didn't pay theater prices to see this.

Ok it may be slow but the gradual build up rewards you with an amazing climax of emotion and raw passion. It is help by some great performances

I think that the people who rated this low must be either mad or deluding themselves because this is an amazing film. All the way through it provokes emotion, and the end is powerful.

There are very few movies worthy of a zero rating but this comes close. Seinfeld was right about this one.

An experience much more akin to reading a novel than watching a film, totally engulfing the "reader."

Nearly perfect movie taken from a nearly perfect book. Overflowing with beautiful imagery and style. Plus - Julliette Binoche in a superbly realized performance.

Elaine Benes is absolutely right! Avoid this one like the plague.

One of the Worst movies I have ever seen! I just don't get why people like this movie. It was so bad.

An achingly beautiful film. Feasting the eyes, and ears...truly poised and moving. You will either love it or hate it. A film that leaves you to wander through its maze of ideas (like the book): a film to see many times. Deserved all the Oscars it got!

Excise the Binoche portions and I would rate it a 9. Very romantic and very sad.

Far exceeds the lousy crap Hollywood usually puts out. We could all do with more movies like this - fine acting and an interesting story.

Captivating story coupled with great performances makes for an epic movie.

Simply the most incredible movies EVER. From the start till the end you are on one hell of a journey. It is the epitome of romance, passion, death - this is just one of those truly spell minding films which you will take with you everywhere I

This was one of the most boring movies I have ever seen in my life. I could really relate to Elaine on Sienfeld when she felt like an outcast for seeing it as what it was - slow, slow, slow.

Yes, the movie is slow, but it's so beautiful that with some patience youc an really enjoy it. The performances are outstanding (you'll see what I mean in the last 30 minutes of it), specially from Mr. Fiennes. There's not much to be said about this that hasn't been said before, so I'll just recommend it. If you wanna see a big love traditional epic, I don't think there are many options better than this one.… Expand

One of the best films ever made, based on one of the best books ever written.

In the epic style of David Lean, Anthony Minghella has crafted a wonderful and engrossing film from Ondaatje's poetic novel.

One of the dullest films ever made, and yet it won great acclaim and an Oscar. There is little to recommend here, aside form nice desert scenery. But when the title character is as self-absorbed and banal as the one here, I don't know how anyone can love this work. The amorality and self-absorption of the entire cast, combined with a way-too-slow pair of stories, make this a total flop. You're better off renting "The Mummy" or "Stargate" instead if you want desert scenery.… Expand

It is a beautifully filmed, horrible story. No one I know, that had not read the book, loved this movie. How it beat Jerry Maguire and Fargo for best picture that year, still amazes me. The characters have very little redeeming social value. All in all the movie struck me as an epic ode to adultery, destroying the lives of all it touched. I gave it three points only because it is still better than things like "Friday the 13th Part (whatever)", if just for cinematography alone. However, I would still rather watch anything else instead of this movie. If you read the book, apparently you will love this movie. I guess the book gives the viewer the deeper meaning behind the rather shallow relationships on screen.… Expand

Stylish film about the beauty of extreme self-centered melodrama. Hated it from the early scene where the heroine walks into a minefield to retrieve a memento of a dead friend. If she wants to blow herself up, go ahead, but she had no right to endanger the other two men trying to clear the mines. From there, it goes on to justify helping the Nazis if you're melancholy enough.

Do you realyy believe that the Allies having to take care of a badly burned man in NorthAfrica found best to send him to Italy in the hands of a field hospital. The story is an accumulation of illogical developments that were totally unnecessary to portray a destructive passion that was big by itself. I give a 3 in recognition of cinematographer work.

This movie was an example of the purest form of story-telling: a kind of pingpong between periods and people involves in the story. It was brilliant to have a burned up man, barely alive reminiscing and offering bits and pieces of his past...superb.

This film is nothing short of mesmeric. Beautifully written, superbly acted, heart-rending and simply transcendental, it is unquestionably the best film I have ever seen.

What a marvelous movie is this one! It touches your heart, it moves you!. The photography is spectacular, and the performances were great. This is classic, and I wish we had more movies as deep as this one is...I think it is about time for me to watch it again. Not a 10, but a 9 for sure! I highly recommend it.

A grand movie that put me to sleep. Too long and boring to keep my attention. Some good parts, but just not interesting enough. I just wish I never would have picked it up in the store to rent.

Really, reviewers? Can't you identify a great film when you've watched it? 'The English Patient' won 9 Oscar and everyone (or at least 7 of them) are merited. The screen adaption of this criticly praised book (I haven't read) is very good directed, has a simply fantastic score, magnificient cinematography and highly talented actors. I admit that it could've been shorter and the love story gets too kitschy partly, however it's the best movie of 1996 and totally touching!… Expand