I saw it a few weeks ago and found it quite enjoyable. The cinematography is stunning, and the plot while simple, was quite engaging at times. I have heard of much disdain towards the film in Asia, similar to the trashing Hero recieved there as well. I personally enjoyed it a lot more than the overblown, Oscar-baiting Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. Zhang Ziyi is improving as an actor but is still quite wooden and emotionless at points. I think part of the disdain towards the film in Asia is due to the celebrity backlash against Ziyi that seems to be occuring there. I think this is a film that will see many people divided over its merits, but is definately worth checking out.
"If it were beneficial, their father would produce children already circumcised from their mother. Rather, the true circumcision in spirit has become profitable in every respect." -Jesus, from the Gospel Of Thomas
Is it the same style as Hero? Im curious to know the comparisant between the two and crouching tiger hidden dragon. Thanks for the response Smenkharon.
Posts: 637 | Location: California | Registered: 24 August 2004
Hero and House of Flying Daggers are both directed, produced and written by the same man-Zhang Yimou. He has done a bunch of other movies that are not martial arts/wuxia themed, most famously Raise the Red Lantern, which was nominated for best foreign film at the Oscars in 1992. I actually have not seen Hero so I don't know how it compares, but a friend who has seen both said they are visually extremely similar. Some of the major complaints I have heard were that the action was too comic book like and unrealistic, and that the plot and acting were soap opera like. Both are valid points.
"If it were beneficial, their father would produce children already circumcised from their mother. Rather, the true circumcision in spirit has become profitable in every respect." -Jesus, from the Gospel Of Thomas
hmmmmmm.... Im not sure if Im going to see it in theaters. I liked Hero but I didnt love it. I will probably see it but I cant expect to find it amazing.
Posts: 637 | Location: California | Registered: 24 August 2004
I agree with you about the ending but the movie wasnt centered around the plot. It was centered around the relationships between the characters and that time period. It was centered around the awesome fight scenes. The ending did surprise me, considering, I though it would be like an hour longer for it really didnt end the way I would've expected it to.
Posts: 637 | Location: California | Registered: 24 August 2004
ok, even giving you the fact that the movie was centered around the characters, didn't you find that they were shallow and predictable? and a bad ending REALLY ruins a movie for me. even the cinematography got really boring and seemed sort of aimless, just trying to get the most artistic shots without worrying about continuity or anything. some of the digital effects really got on my nerves as well, esp. the cheesy "blizzard". plus all that digital hue enhancement was old in the mid-nineties. The film was weak and even the action scenes were pretty derivative.
Posts: 222 | Location: DC | Registered: 07 July 2004
Ok, ok, now that I am able to contemplate the movie, I do not think it was worth the high metascore which it recieved. But, that being said, I still was astounded by the camera angles, fight scenes and even though the ending wasnt that superb, I still liked the plot and the idea, I just dont think it was built on as much as it should've been. I didnt watch the movie as I do with other movies. I watched it as a piece of art. If you think to much throughout these types of movies, you wont have a great experience. Just sit down, relax and let the movie do the work.
Posts: 637 | Location: California | Registered: 24 August 2004
I agree, brilliant cinematography, as in Hero, though the plot and theme of the story seemed slightly shallower, really, had the bar raised, but what was that overly dramatic Shakespearean-like ending?
I thought it was a very Shakespearean ending, but thought the epic nature of the fight through the seasons actually worked well, although there were many people in the cinema I was watching it in the UK, who thought the ending was hilarious. I thought it was a beautiful film visually and that carried me through any other misgivings I may have had. It is definitely worth watching because its more interesting than the vast majority of films released last year.
I'll be the fly in the buttmilk her and say I was disappointed in both HERO and HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS. I love Zhang Yimou and feel his best films focus on working class life in China. The three films Yimou made before his chop socky films are among the best I've ever seen: NOT ONE LESS, THE ROAD HOME & HAPPY TIMES. HERO and DAGGERS are about as far away from those previous three as can be. You would never know the same guy directed those films.
I hope Yimous has exhausted his interested in the chop socky genre and goes back to making more films in the vein of NOT ONE LESS, THE ROAD HOME & HAPPY TIMES.
