The ambitious, stylish, and, yes, at times ostentatious Julie Taymor (best known for the stage version of The Lion King, as well as films such as Frida and Across the Universe) directs a new film adaptation of William Shakespeare's final masterpiece.

The Tempest, both elegiac and enchanting, concerns a banished Milanese royal and sorcerer; in the play, this is Prospero (a male), but it is Prospera in Taymor's film, played in a majestic, tender performance by the great Helen Mirren. Felicity Jones co-stars as Miranda, the daughter whose led a sheltered life with her mother on the mysterious island to which they have been banished.

As the film begins, Prospera and her personal sylph, Ariel (Ben Whishaw), have conjured a tempest, a violent storm which disrupts the voyage of a ship bearing her treacherous enemies, Sebastian and Antonio (Alan Cumming and Chris Cooper), the somber King Alonso (David Strathairn) and his son, Ferdinand (a slightly bland Reeve Carney), and a sottish pair of servants, Trinculo and Stephano (Russell Brand and Alfred Molina). The fates and aims of these complicated characters interwine on Prospera's island, which is also home to the indigenous, subjugated Caliban (Djimon Hounsou), who comes to believe Stephano is a god capable of slaying Prospera.

Besides the aforementioned exception, Taymor draws excellent performances from her well-assembled cast. It is exciting to see Helen Mirren play this role; changing Prospero's sex is not just an adorable, "I'll show you, Bill Shakes!" decision on Taymor's part, it changes the dynamic between the character and daughter Miranda in a poignant, striking way. Russell Brand (yes!) and Alfred Molina are delightful comic relief. Djimon Hounsou is a fierce presence as Caliban, capable of playing the character at both his most monstrous and his most wondrous:

Be not afeard; the isle is full of noises,
Sounds and sweet airs, that give delight and hurt not.
Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments
Will hum about mine ears, and sometime voices
That, if I then had waked after long sleep,
Will make me sleep again: and then, in dreaming,
The clouds methought would open and show riches
Ready to drop upon me that, when I waked,
I cried to dream again.

My favorite performance, though, might belong to Ben Whishaw (he of last year's best film, Bright Star) as the androgynous, spirited Ariel. Whishaw delivers a sensitive performance, the heart of which never fails to shine through the eye-popping FX Taymor utilizes to bring Ariel's magic to the screen.

Shot in part on location in Hawaii, The Tempest is a technical masterpiece. I know Taymor has severe critics who despise her bombastic visual style. I, however, am not one of them. From the dramatic tempest at the start to the final, indelible shot of Prospera throwing her magical staff into the sea, Taymor delivers fantastic image after fantastic image. The sound design is also splendid, as is Elliot Goldenthal's (Heat) electric-guitar-centric original score. I was a bit nervous during the first act when a Boatswain's dialogue was too buried in the mix to be understood. The rest of the film's dialogue is, I'm glad to report, crystal clear, as it should be with language this beautiful.

The Tempest is a must-see for fans of Shakespeare and/or Taymor. The latter has delivered an exciting, high-style, very well-acted version of the former's iconic play.

A-