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Film: Hero
Release date: 21st February 2005
Certificate: 12
Running time: 95 mins
Director: Yimou Zhang
Starring: Jet Li, Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Maggie Cheung, Ziyi Zhang, Donnie Yen
Genre: Action/Adventure/Martial Arts
Studio: Miramax
Format: DVD
Country: Hong Kong/China
While Zhang Yimou stuns audiences with this martial arts adventure where cinematography takes to the foreground, the message conveyed to some through the story has managed to spark debate over Yimou’s political implications of the film. But with the themes of love and war at centre stage in China, no less – what else can be expected?
Set in 3rd century BC China, the King of Qin (Daoming Chen) is on a mission to bring all the surrounding warring dominions in to one ‘united’ kingdom. Naturally, war is met along the way, sparking three illustrious assassins to seek personal revenge on the king, and end all the seemingly irrational destruction he is causing around the lands. For security, no-one is allowed within a hundred paces of the king unless proving their faith to him somehow. Enter Nameless (Jet Li), a warrior brandishing the three swords of the assassins (thus proving their defeat by his hand) who is allowed within ten paces.
Four different versions of the story ensue, each truer than the last, of how the assassins meet their demise. Essentially in all versions, there is first a battle between Nameless and Sky (Donnie Yen) in a chess house, where Sky meets his downfall. Then, there is a battle between Nameless and Flying Snow (Maggie Cheung), where she also loses out to Nameless’ unmatched skill. The third assassin, Broken Sword (Tony Leung), is also Flying Snow’s lover, and complications between the two allow for Nameless to obtain the last sword. However, there is a twist in the story, as it slowly becomes revealed that Nameless is not actually who he says he is, and now that he is within ten paces of the king, knowledge and righteousness put him to the test to discover if he really can be a true warrior…
Perhaps Yimou’s previous experience as a cinematographer influences the weight given to the film’s abounding aesthetic. However, credit must be given to this film’s cinematographer, Christopher Doyle, as the film is so amazingly visually rich. The individual versions of the story are told with different colour schemes; saturated primary colours, which provide evocative contrasts to otherwise beautiful but barren landscapes.
Tan Dun’s score provides a constant melancholy theme throughout, which is soft and dramatic, and nearly always present. This gives credence to the film’s existence as a piece of art as much as an entertaining film. Of course, drums are at hand for the fight scenes and moments of tension, which add authenticity to the Chinese culture of the film.
The storytelling should not be overlooked either. Its Rashomon-style flashbacks add layers of depth - four to be precise - to energise the story. They allow for not only four different stories to be told, but four different versions of assassin characters to be explored. In this way, Yimou gets to play with the audience by keeping it guessing until the very end.
It is difficult when watching and listening to a language so completely different from English to be able to fully appreciate what is being said, and how it is being expressed. From every other aspect that the renowned cast can be scrutinised from, none of them disappoint. They adhere to the choreography of the duel scenes with such natural ability, and although the expression of emotion is not at the forefront of the film, each carries a great weight of believability in their (many) roles.
We are not met with copious amounts of dialogue, and combat scenes fit to take your breath away seem to occupy more time in the film than any speaking. The general lack of conversation aligns with the elemental approach of the film, and so this is not a problem, however, the same ‘lost in translation’ issue can be said of the script. A western audience cannot be sure to receive the same message as what is understood by a Chinese speaking audience.
Following in the same vein, the most important feature in the film, Broken Sword’s depiction of the word ‘Tianxia’, accurately translates as ‘all under heaven’ (i.e. the world), whereas the western translation is ‘our land’, as in China. Both notions imply distinct differences, and hit on a critical debate over the film and Yimou’s intentions. Critics of Yimou have said the film’s approval by the Chinese government admit it to be a film of pro-totalitarian rule, of which Yimou has denied. Nevertheless the film certainly makes an impact politically, emotionally and visually.
Only those opposed to the wuxia genre may want to give it a wide birth, as there are a lot of combat episodes, however, those able to appreciate the elegance behind finely choreographed martial fighting, clever storytelling, and visual mastery will not want to miss it. MI
Film: Hero
Release date: 21st February 2005
Certificate: 12
Running time: 95 mins
Director: Yimou Zhang
Starring: Jet Li, Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Maggie Cheung, Ziyi Zhang, Donnie Yen
Genre: Action/Adventure/Martial Arts
Studio: Miramax
Format: DVD
Country: Hong Kong/China
Zhang Yimous’ sumptuous historical warrior epic certainly lives up to, if not surpasses, the two years of excited hype that this is the most expensive Chinese film ever made. Falling firmly within the wuxia genre, this breathtaking (although sometimes mind boggling) piece of cinematography softly coaxes you through a dramatic journey of loyalty, love and sacrifice that deals with both personal and political issues without feeling as though you are having to wade through a torrent of boringly obvious morals and ethics.
The determined dream of King Qin (Daoming Chen) to become the first emperor of China draws the attention of three deadly assassins from neighbouring warring kingdoms. It seems as though there is nobody who can defeat the killers until an enigmatic nameless warrior, surprisingly called Nameless (Jet Li), appears to seek a private audience with the naturally wary king.
Nameless claims to have battled and beaten all three of the king’s enemies - Broken Sword (Tony Leung), Flying Snow (Maggie Cheung) and Long Sky (Donnie Yen) - and modestly explains the details of the slayings. Even with the dead assassins’ weapons as proof of their demise at his feet, the king is unconvinced and proceeds to put forward a completely different version of how he thinks events played out.
Two powerful men with two opposing powerful stories, but which is the right one?
The actors carry off a solid set of performances, creating powerful, complex characters. Particularly of note is Jet Li’s portrayal of Nameless, our perfectly inscrutable hero warrior, who manages to subtly layer his character, leaving the audience questioning whether his motives are entirely honourable and honest. Maggie Cheung’s never faltering grace and beauty also shines through by combing a lethal combination of femme fatale with the ability to slay opponents with the ease of a warm knife through butter.
The director stretches the delicious battle scenes so that they make up a huge portion of the film, and revised in different ways according to who is telling the tale. Time is taken to create a tantalising flow of impressive frames that only serves to whet the appetite for the next. The direction is wonderfully unique, a prime example being when Nameless and Long Sky are engaged in battle purely in their minds. It is undoubtedly amazing visual art, but the audience would be forgiven for thinking they were being deliberately swept away by the set design to detract from the sometimes dubious plot points.
But, to be honest, it’s hard to care or be bothered to rack our brains over such mere doubts when there is so much more to be inspired by. Christopher Doyle is in charge of photography and has managed to create a masterpiece. Whether it’s the goose pimple inducing battle sequences, the majestic serenity of the floating assassins, or the fantastically vibrant use of nature and landscape that takes your breath away, it’s the perfection of imagery that makes Hero a must to watch.
Although the backdrop is arguably one of the most beautiful in cinematography, the halting nature of the narrative doesn’t give the characters enough opportunity to open up and develop to their fullest potential. Confusing changes in the storytelling and the battle scenes means the audience spends more time trying to figure this out and has less time concentrating on the characters. Subsequently, the film lacks the emotional appeal that made Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon such a winner.
Still, Zhang Yimou certainly has succeeded in making a special martial arts spectacle, although to merely class Hero as a martial arts film doesn’t give justice to the sublime richness of the movie. Although the warriors float around the screen as if part of a tightly woven, intricate dance, the audience knows that the possibility of blood, pain and death is ever present - a poetic brutality if you will - but these moments are kept comfortably waiting in the wings whilst the senses are overwhelmed by the genius of the picture.
All in all, this beautifully beguiling story is a timeless action movie, a heavyweight title clincher that will enjoy both commercial success as well as satisfying lovers of foreign films. At times lacking in plot substance and slightly confusing which, possibly, has been anticipated by the director, prompting the use of colour coding to indicate through which eyes the story is being told and also the individual stages in the story. However, this is a mere spot of rust in an otherwise impeccable suit of armour. Hero is an awe inspiring experience that should be sought by all movie lovers.
Film: Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon
Release date: 18th June 2001
Certificate: 12
Running time: 115 mins
Director: Ang Lee
Starring: Chow Yun-fat, Michelle Yeoh, Ziyi Zhang, Chen Chang, Sihung Lung
Genre: Action/Adventure/Drama/Fantasy/Martial Arts/Romance
Studio: Sony
Format: DVD
Country: Taiwan/Hong Kong/USA/China
Winner of four Oscars, including Best Foreign Language Film, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon has taken its place as an iconic piece of martial arts cinema. The film follows three central characters as they battle over the right to possess a sacred sword and prove themselves in the eyes of their superiors. To do so, each must search for a deeper understanding of themselves and their desires.
The movie begins with Master Li Mu Bai (Chow Yun-fat) relinquishing his sword, the Green Destiny, to his old friend Yu Shu Lien, so that she can pass it on as a gift to Sir Te (Sihung Lung).
In Bejing, Lien meets a fellow guest of Sir Te’s, a young and beautiful girl named Jen (Ziyi Zhang) who is desperate for an escape from her regimented aristocratic lifestyle.
When the Green Destiny is stolen by a highly skilled mystery attacker, Lien becomes determined to reclaim the sword and regain her honour. However, she begins to suspect that Jen is not all she appears to be.
From here, the film moves through a number of interconnecting subplots, involving Jen’s romance with a rugged horseman from the plains, Lien’s growing realisation of her feelings for Li Mu Bai, and Bai’s own desire to avenge his master’s death at the hands of the allusive assassin, Jade Fox. Through numerous action scenes, we see the Green Destiny changing hands as each character must confront their own doubts, fears and failures in order to prove themselves worthy to possess the sacred weapon…
Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon promises much and delivers on a number of levels. The performances by the three leads are excellent, especially Ziyi Zhang who portrays Jen with a perfect mix of naïve excitement and growing maturity. Her impressive performance lends the character believability that keeps the fantastical elements of the film grounded in emotional depth. Her energy is perfectly balanced by the strong, commanding presence of Michelle Yeoh, whose air of dignity and reserve make the scenes between the two the best in the film. Yeoh brilliantly captures her character’s restraint and humility when in the presence of Yun-Fat. The latter is superb while on screen, being wise and powerful but maintaining a fragility that makes his character interesting. He is, however, sadly underused.
The Oscar-winning cinematography is awe-inspiring. The sets, ranging from mansions to city streets and taverns, are wonderfully incorporated into the landscape. It is the sequences in the desert and mountains, however, which are truly breathtaking. They are perfectly complemented by Tan Dun’s score, which encapsulates the epic grandeur of the scenery and likewise received an Academy Award. The design of the film, including its props and costumes, create a convincing vision of the historical world in which the action unfolds, and the attention to detail and majesty of visual ambition is carried through to the movie’s numerous action sequences.
One of the major pioneers of wire-work martial arts – perhaps best seen in western films in The Matrix trilogy – the film’s fight scenes unfold like beautifully choreographed ballets. The combatants float and leap between rooftops and trees, performing mind-blowing flips and summersaults, mixing fantasy and poetry as they fight. However, while at first the sequences are thrilling and mesmerising, the film resorts to action too often, and by the finale, they have lost some of the wonder they first evoked. Furthermore, the graceful movements mean the fights rarely reflect a sense of danger or pain that makes action sequences thrilling, but Tan Dun’s rhythmic, percussion heavy score elevates, and saves, many of the sequences by creating tension and excitement.
The film’s major issue is its tone. Ang Lee’s direction is generally impressive, but it, along with the script, seems to fluctuate between different moods, sometimes uneasily. At times, the film is an emotive romance, superbly coupled to a contemplative, philosophical meditation on duty and desire. However, in some scenes (such as Jen’s tavern brawl) the film suddenly shifts into slapstick comedy with weak jokes and on into a fantasy-western. Sometimes these digressions are lengthy, and while excellent in their own right, they mean the film loses momentum. When the finale comes, therefore, it feels disappointingly underwhelming. The lack of focus on a single protagonist – something which has worked in some films – is not entirely successful here, and contributes to the film appearing slightly muddled and ambiguous.
A visual triumph with compelling performances, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon has much to be admired. While it does not move easily between differing emotions or genres, there is nonetheless something for everyone in the film’s beauty, action and emotion. Not quite the masterpiece many credit it with being, it remains a curious watch which, at times, is richly rewarding. CD
Film: Hero
Release date: 21st February 2005
Certificate: 12
Running time: 95 mins
Director: Yimou Zhang
Starring: Jet Li, Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Maggie Cheung, Ziyi Zhang, Donnie Yen
Genre: Action/Adventure/Martial Arts
Studio: Miramax
Format: DVD
Country: Hong Kong/China
Finally, two years after its creation, and as a result of severe petitioning to Miramax Studios from Quentin Tarantino, Zhang Yimou’s Hero obtained its western cinematic and unedited DVD release. Following in the mould of its spiritual predecessor Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Hero is a succession of sweeping landscapes, vivid colours and high wire action that sees Jet Li return to his native China to assume the lead role.
Summoned by the King, an orphaned warrior, Nameless, is hurriedly ushered through the gates of the palace so as to confirm a miraculous achievement. Presenting the Prime Minister with three boxes, each containing the weapons of three powerful assassins killed by Nameless, he is permitted into the throne room to drink tea with the King.
The King is a single-minded militant who wages war on the other regions in China, yet his philosophy is to do so not for personal gain but to make the nation strong, unifying them under a single leadership and language. Eager to learn how this mysterious warrior, who held a position of nothing more than a mere local Prefect in his Kingdom of Qin, defeated these assassins, the King invites Nameless to recount his feats. Nameless states he does not possess the abilities to have defeated them collectively yet reveals by separating and confronting each assailant individually he knew he would be victorious.
While it is widely known Broken Sword and Flying Snow are lovers, Nameless reveals that the couple had not spoken to each other in three years because of an illicit encounter Snow had had with the third assassin, Sky. Shown through flashback, Nameless, having infiltrated a calligraphy school in Zhao, reveals to the remaining martial arts masters the remains of Sky’s spear, claiming that Snow's compassion would lead her to avenge his death. This revelation leads to a startling and spiraling sequence of events where Broken Sword, distraught by the actions of his paramour, engages in sexual gratification with his student Moon to earn Snow’s resentment. Snow in a fit of indignation and rage retaliates by killing her former lover. Nameless, in the hall of the King, states this emotional unsettling as a result of the cunning plan he had instigated made the disposal of Snow in combat a formality.
After pondering this lavish tale, the King of Qin announces he has been deceived by the orphaned swordsman, and professes his own entirely new account of what transpired…
With directorial projects that have earned him Golden Bear’s and the elusive Grand Jury Prize, it is unsurprising that Hero exudes the confidence of a director who is comfortable in his craft. Hero is a visual feast as Zhang sculpts beautiful, if not iconic, imagery from the shifting landscapes of Chinese deserts through to the poetic motions of his actors’ choreography. It is impossible not to underestimate the painstaking effort that went into making sure the director achieved perfection in every single scene, as not one inch of the screen is wasted or not deliberately thought out. For the fight scene in the forest, between Maggie Cheung and Ziyi Zhang, Yimou Zhang had a man spend days there purely to inform him of when the leaves began turning yellow so that the director could achieve his vision of the juxtaposed yellow and red colours. Not simply this, but the lake scene involving both Cheung and Tony Leung could only be filmed for two hours a day because this was the only time the waters in the lake would be still enough to create the mirrored effect desired.
Yimou Zhang’s dedication to faultlessness in his artistry is the primary reason Hero is undeniably hypnotic in the sheer scale of its visual palette, but he accompanies this with an interweaving sequence of stories. When Jet Li’s Nameless delineates the fits of jealousy his craftiness sent Broken Sword and Snow into, the film and the characters are awash in red. From wearing red robes through to the red calligraphy house, there is a striking statement being made. It is only, however, when the King begins his hypothesis that the colours start to resonate as being more than just bright garlands when the same characters and school are depicted in a calming blue.
Zhang’s colour coding typifies the emotional thought processes of the characters, where red symbolises passion and rage; blue is representative of sacrifice; green is the exemplification of mercy; while white, as the closing of the thematic colours, can be interpreted as truth, birth or death. While the director has been quoted as claiming the colours bear no direct correlation to any one theme, this must be taken with a pinch of salt for Zhang is undoubtedly aware of the symbolism he himself must attribute to each shade - his declination of a definitive response has created much discussed ambiguity and subsequent publicity.
At its heart, despite the kaleidoscopic opticals, Hero is a martial arts film. Thankfully the high-wire choreography does not overly bend the rules of physics so as to feel nonsensical, but does so just enough to gift his characters an ethereal and benevolently enlightened feel. Despite Jet Li and Donnie Yen being the only schooled martial artists in the primary cast, the remaining protagonists all undertook weeks of training, and the result is there as evidence to the hard work they put in. Not one scene is compromised as a result of an individual’s inability - all the actors are beautifully convincing as they glide through air, bounce off lakes and pull off remarkable feats of dance-like combat.
There are criticisms that Hero, for all its breathtaking visuals, harbours an overriding doctrine of unification, and a philosophy that supports an individual's desire to bring peace to the masses through blood thirsty conflict and totalitarian rule. There are certain parallels that can be made to modern day China leading to a school of thought that Hero is pro-communist propaganda. However, as with the meaning of colours, Yimou Zhang’s true reasoning is open to interpretation by all, and while from a certain standpoint it is difficult to ignore these observations, it is also difficult to ignore the seemingly obvious that his story is based on history, and that certain events cannot be changed. Eastern cinema has a great penchant for the philosophical, endowing the perceived antagonists with moral codes, blurring the lines between 'good' and 'bad'. Yet the reasoning in this instance may be as simple as the director choosing to implement his poetic license, but then in Hero, nothing is ever quite as it first seems to be.
While some may have an unwillingness to swallow the simple premise as a means for justifying ninety minutes worth of sword-clanging, finding it a tedious exercise in high-wire showboating, it is impossible to deny the sheer beauty which resonates throughout this sumptuously narcotic feast.
Whether it be through majestic landscapes, the vibrancy and range of striking colours on show, or the graceful movements of some of China’s finest stars, Yimou Zhang champions a case for style when done with substance. BL
Film: House Of Flying Daggers
Release date: 2nd May 2005
Certificate: 15
Running time: 114 mins
Director: Yimou Zhang
Starring: Ziyi Zhang, Andy Lau, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Dandan Song, Hongfei Zhao
Genre: Action/Adventure/Drama/Fantasy/Martial Arts/Romance
Studio: Pathe
Format: DVD
Country: China/Hong Kong
A triumphant work of artistic and directional genius, House Of Flying Daggers is an action romance that follows the tale of Mei, a suspected vigilante, and Jin, a governmental official, as they fight hidden enemies in search of the rebel group House of Flying Daggers. Having received international rave reviews, and an alleged 20 minute standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival, it is no wonder that House Of Flying Daggers remains at the top of many a film lover’s list.
Set during the decline of Tang Dynasty China, the government and its officials are riddled with corruption. Amongst civil unrest, an underground alliance named House of Flying Daggers emerges with the purpose of combating corruption, and fairly redistributing the country’s wealth among its people.
While respected and revered by the common mass, House of Flying Daggers is hated by the local deputies who have vowed to destroy the allegiance. Despite having recently murdered the old leader of the Flying Daggers, the rebel group only becomes stronger due to the presence of a mysterious new leader, whom Captain Jin (Takeshi Kaneshiro) and Captain Leo (Andy Lau) of the Chinese authority are given ten days to find and destroy.
Leo sends Jin, a flirtatious and unscrupulous playboy, to investigate claims that a Daggers affiliate is masquerading as a show girl at the Peony Pavilion. At the brothel, they find and arrest the beautiful blind artisan Xiao Mei (Zhang Ziyi), a dagger wielding martial arts master with a political agenda. Mei is incarcerated as rumours circulate that she is in fact the blind daughter of the late Daggers leader. In a cunning plot, Leo and Jin plan to trick Mei into leading them to the Daggers secret location.
Under the false pretence of being an admirer of the Daggers, Jin springs Mei from prison and leads her away from the governmental officials - or so she thinks. The two are followed closely by Leo and the local militia, who fake an ambush to convince Mei of Jin’s sincerity. Apparently blissfully unaware of the scheme, Mei begins to trust Jin, and an unlikely romance blossoms, as Jin’s game of trickery and deceit escalates into a real life and death drama, where the two find themselves battling unseen foes in their quest for safety and to find the concealed Daggers…
House Of Flying Daggers is an undisputable triumph of both acting and direction. Zhang Yimou’s signatory use of riotous colour makes the film an opulent reflection of the Tang dynasty, whose art work is typified by the type of grandeur that Zhang Yimou infuses this film with. The visuals themselves are so spectacular that they move as a piece of artwork, and continue to transcend the usual role of scenery in film. In this case, Zhang Yimou has achieved a remarkable harmony between scenery and plot, where the background becomes as important, if not more, than the story line itself.
Unlike previous martial arts films, House Of Flying Daggers provides the perfect melange of nail biting romance and heart stopping action. The kung fu throughout is gorgeously choreographed, and acts to enrich both the plot and setting. Moving effortlessly through the air, these blood-splattering, action packed encounters add to the sense of mystery and drama, as well as providing a visual thrill for the audience.
The use of sound throughout is extremely important, and masterfully heightens and intensifies the film experientially. Musical whiz kid Umebayashi is behind the score for House Of Flying Daggers. This sensitive soundtrack amalgamates eastern and western influences to provide a contemporary, yet in keeping take on traditional Chinese music.
The storyline is a little wanting, and the characters are superficial without much depth or development. The script is clichéd and a little predictable throughout the middle section, however, the final scenes make up for the lacklustre build up. Despite all this, the plot is not disappointing, as the main emphasis in the film is that of the visual and audio sensationalism, which more than compensates for any storyline flaws. The story, like that in an opera, is not crucial to the overall experience but merely provides a spider web framework in which Zhang Yimou weaves his phantasmagorical action-romance.
Interestingly, the foundation of a weak script does not equate to poor performances from any of the actors. Before taking on the role of Mei, Zhang Ziyi is rumoured to have spent two months preparation time with a young blind girl, in order to perfect and authenticate her performance. This would indeed be no surprise as her portrayal of the blind Mei is flawless. Zhang Ziyi brings an exciting dimension to the character of this gritty and determined young girl, by ensuring that Mei’s hard façade is penetrated by moments of endearing vulnerability and displays of passionate love, anger and hatred.
Zhang Ziyi’s ephemeral beauty juxtaposed with Xiao Mei’s serious martial arts skills makes this no-nonsense vigilante the deserved heroine of the film. Takeshi Kaneshiro’s performance of Jin brings this cheeky chappy to life. The womanizing Jin, however, is no match for Xiao Mei, and it must be said that despite his characteristically good acting, Takeshi Kaneshiro could not hold a torch next to Ziyi’s. Andy Lau proves himself to be a likely contender for the title of Daggers Heart throb, as he plays his role of the focused Captain Leo credibly, and adds a certain mysterious je ne sais quoi to the character.
This gripping love story, laced with espionage and betrayal, is a sure hit. Zhang Yimou’s glorious utilisation of colour, coupled with his ingenious take on audio sound effects, acts to showcase this directors true talent. The thoroughly convincing performances by the entire cast, especially Zhang Ziyi, will embroil you in this twisting tale, filled with double bluffs and surprising turns. House Of Flying Daggers is an absolute must see, that will act to either inspire or feed your kung fu film addiction, and is guaranteed to leave you gasping for more. HRP
Film: The Banquet
Release date: 2nd August 2010
Certificate: 15
Running time: 126 mins
Director: Xiaogang Feng
Starring: Ziyi Zhang, Daniel Wu, Sun Zhou, You Ge, Jingwu Ma
Genre: Action/Drama/History/War
Studio: Metrodome
Format: Blu-ray
Country: China
Loosely based on Shakespeare’s Hamlet The Banquet, directed by Feng Xiaogang, is a lavishly produced tale of incest, corruption and revenge during the fall of the Tang Dynasty, a period known as the 'Five Dynasties of Ten Kingdoms'. A web of intrigue has been woven within the walls of the Imperial Palace that ultimately leads to tragedy and bloodshed.
China 907 BC: Prince Wuluan (Daniel Wu) has decided to study the performing arts in remote woodlands away from the Imperial Palace after his sweetheart, Little Wan, (Ziyi Zhang), marries his father the Emperor, and thus becoming Empress.
She sends word to Wuluan that his father has been killed, presumably by a black scorpion, and his Uncle Li (You Gi) has now taken the throne, taking her as his own Empress.
Unbeknown to Wan, Li orders a secret onslaught on Wuluan, but despite the slaughter of all Wuluan’s fellow performers, whose faces are hidden behind white impassive masks - making it difficult to know which one is the Prince - Wuluan makes a narrow escape. Convinced they have killed Wuluan, the steel-welding Imperial Guards return to notify the Emperor of their “success”.
Believing Wan to be responsible for his father’s death, Wuluan returns to the palace to confront her, but Wan reassures Wuluan that it was Emperor Li who killed his father.
Once the Emperor learns that Wuluan is still alive, another attempt on the young Prince’s life is made, only to be saved yet again by the Empress’ intervention.
The Emperor decides to hold a lavish banquet and orders all those that don’t attend to be put to death. The Empress sees the event of grandeur as the perfect opportunity to rid the world of the Emperor. But as with all Shakespearean tragedies, all does not end well…
The Banquet is a visually spectacular costume drama, which incorporates balletic fight scenes with lashings of blood and grandiose set pieces, as well as impressive crane shots used to good effect during scenes within the walls of the Imperial Palace.
The central figure in the story is the multi-faceted Empress Wan, played to great effect by the talented international superstar Ziyi Zhang. The Empress is a complex character with a multiple persona, which is subtly revealed by the adornment of her vibrant extravagant costumes that she wears at specific moments. Colours divulge her characteristics: gowns of reddish-purple are worn as she demonstrates her powerful malicious side; whilst yellow, her chosen colour of attire during intimate moments with the Prince, is worn at times when she can be gentle and most true to herself. The role of the Empress was originally intended for a more developed actress, someone of Gong Li’s calibre, for example. But once Zhang agreed to come on board, Xiaogang was enthusiastic towards her suggestions on how she should approach the role, which led to major changes in the script to suit her specifications.
Because of this alteration with the leading actress, the film has come under fire from some critics who deem the role of the Empress too demanding for someone, at that time, not yet fully developed. If Gong Li or even Maggie Cheung did fill the Empress’ shoes, this would indeed command an amendment with the other major players. Although this could have given the film more substance, Zhang’s portrayal of the Empress, as well as the visuals, is the film’s saving grace; being that the decision to make the Empress only four years younger than the Prince actually works, it’s just a shame that Wu couldn’t have played the Prince with a little more ardour.
High praise must also go to actress/singer Xun Zhou for her portrayal of the virtuous Qing, who is deeply in love with Wuluan, and is the only character we can warm to. She is the innocent one within this tragic entanglement of love and rivalry, and receives our full sympathy – a well-deserved winner of the Hong Kong Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role. She also sang the closing theme tune, which was nominated for a Golden Horse Award for Best Original Film Song.
The overall intellect and style of The Banquet is very theatrical, and is relatively in keeping with Shakespeare’s original vision. On the downside, the western-influenced soundtrack falls short of being appealing, and is quite unforgettable, only managing to be commanding on occasion.
There is also an over use of slow motion filming. This technique works well with certain scenes, such as those of galloping horses and the wirework fight sequences, but is over-applied at other times, especially during the torture and slaughter scene of General Yin Sun (Xiaoming Huang). What should have been a brutal and unsettling sight for us to witness, consequently became an exaggeratedly dramatic stage show, which diminished the overall effect.
The Banquet is by no means a masterpiece, but it is a gloriously spectacular work of visual art with some fine performances, mainly from two of China’s brightest stars - Zhang Ziyi and Xun Zhou. Sadly, it’s hard to feel any compassion for the three main characters, as they are often cold and callous, putting a distance between them and the viewer. SLP
