Under the masterful direction of Joe Wright (”Pride and Prejudice”) and based on Ian McEwan’s critically acclaimed novel of the same name, “Atonement” - in theaters now and nominated for seven Golden Globes - is an epic of uncompromising beauty, romantic intrigue and psychological complexity. The film is momentous by any measure, its dialogue richly crafted, its historical intricacies painstakingly recreated, its talent immense, and its cinematography unparalleled by any epic of recent memory.

Set amidst the turmoil of mid-20th century England and France, “Atonement” is centered upon the beautiful and extraordinarily privileged Cecilia Tallis (Keira Knightly), with whom the grounds-keeper of her family’s estate, Robbie Turner (James McAlvoy), shares a passionate love. Their secret romance is broken, however, when Briony Tallis (Saoirse Ronan), Cecilia’s younger sister, bears false witness against Robbie for an unspeakable crime he didn’t commit, forever altering the life the couple had planned. Wright’s cathartic direction follows the consequent lives of Cecilia, Robbie, and the aspiring writer Briony through the chaos of World War II in a tremendously powerful statement on the undying psychology of love, guilt and betrayal.

Certainly most of the credit for this triumph is due Ian McEwan himself, who has said he’s quite pleased with the film adaptation of his 2002 novel - which won acclamation by both TIME and the Observer as one of the top 100 best novels of all time. Yet it is Wright’s brilliant and technically adroit treatment of the English author’s masterpiece that steals the show. When “Atonement” was released in the U.K. in Sept. of 2007, it astonished critics - including this observer - with its artistic courage. In the the film’s most visually-impressive feat, Wright manages to pull off “the cinematic equivalent to a no-hitter in baseball” with a five and a half minute tracking shot, wherein the same camera follows McAlvoy’s dazed wanderings on a beach crowded with thousands of British soldiers waiting to evacuate. The shot was completed in one day, relying upon 1,000 extras and absorbing a large portion of the film’s roughly $30 million budget.

All of that is to say nothing of the beautiful score, composed by Dario Marianelli and featuring the symbolic sound of mid-century type-writers, all of which underscores the urgency, tension and historical chaos of the story.

“Atonement” is more than just another epic of romance and war. Beyond that, it is a masterfully crafted composite of the psychological ties that bind all human beings - those of love, perseverance, betrayal, and, ultimately, redemption.

Rating: 5/5