As
the Tang Dynasty peters on the verge of collapse, the state
police force is fighting to bring down bands of assassins who
are conspiring against China's leaders. The most notorious and
deadly is the House of Flying Daggers but no one knows who they
are or where they come from. Deputies Jin (Kaneshiro) and Leo
(Lau) decide to go undercover to flush out a member of the elusive
clan, gain their confidence and work their way in, hopefully
discovering who the head of the House of Flying Daggers is.
After the
directing the astounding 'Hero', Yimou Zhang returns to similar
territory with 'House of Flying Daggers' but can he create another
visual
historical masterpiece? Yes and No.
Combining
beautifully shot scenery with stunning martial arts sequences
made 'Hero' one of the best examples in the genre and 'House
of Flying Daggers' goes some way into continuing this stand
but the story in the final section of the movie that lets the
film down. It all starts well and good, with an intriguing premise
of unknown assassins trying to bring the Tang Dynasty down.
Throw in two patriotic police officers who try and infiltrate
the clan
by entrapping a beautiful and deadly female member of the Daggers,
only for a love triangle to form and bring conflict to the mission
and you have a story that draws you in from the off. The problems
arise in the finale of the film that becomes far too overlong
and almost too comic book, ruining
all the most of the good plot work that had so brilliantly built.
While we are all waiting for a final confrontation, it becomes
too far fetched and
elongated. It is also slightly confusing, leaving too many unanswered
questions at the film's conclusion.
The problems
with the plot only slightly distract you from what is a very
enjoyable historical, martial arts epic. It is the performances
that are the
highlight of the movie. The three principle actors work extremely
well together and are the driving force behind the film. Takeshi
Kaneshiro is
excellent as Jin, the young, enthusiastic officer dedicated
to bringing down the House of Flying Daggers until he meets
Mei. Kaneshiro creates a cocky but skilful character that is
torn between duty and love. He excels in the action sequences
but it is the interaction between him and Ziyi Zhang that
is the key element of the movie. Andy Lau continues to make
waves in the acting world with another fine performance as officer
Leo, the man working to keep Jin's cover but struggling to keep
men under control as they hunt down Jin and Mei. Lau is an actor
to watch and he always creates characters that are both believe
and strong. Ziyi Zhang is as talented an actress as she is beautiful.
As blind Dagger assassin Mei, she is both vulnerable and deadly,
drawing you into her plight. It is the chemistry between her
character and Jin that key to the film's success, as you are
drawn into
their love story and the repercussions of it. She also excels
in the martial arts sequences proving that she is a talent that
everyone should be watching.
As in 'Hero',
director Yimou Zhang and his crew create a visual feast for
the eye as the majestically combine stunning photography with
jaw dropping
martial arts. The drum sequence involving Leo and Mei is astoundingly
beautiful, intermixing astonishing skill with visuals that will
have you
staring at the screen in awe. The Forest battle and the plains
ambush also have a similar impact as the filmmaker pushes more
realism than mysticism.
It is only when we come to the bamboo chase that the excessive
wire work and unbelievable actions come to bare. While the sequence
is again visually
stunning, it does take away some of thebelievability of the
piece that the first two thirds of the movie had created.
House of
Flying Daggers might not be as good as 'Hero' but it is still
a good movie in its own right. Visually stunning with some exceptional
martial
arts there is a lot here to enjoy. It is only the slight problems
with the finale could spoil your enjoyment but this is still
another fine example of how Asian filmmaking is becoming the
true hotbed of talent.
Star Rating = * *
* *
PICTURE & SOUND
Presented
in Widescreen 2.35:1 Anamorphic with a choice of Dolby Digital
5.1 or dts soundtracks, the transfer is extremely good. The
glorious
cinematography, costume, set and lighting design look absolutely
splendid, vividly bringing the world to life. The sound is also
some of the best you
will ever hear. Your speakers will be filled as the fight and
dance scenes fill the room with sound, especially if you have
the ability to play the dts
track.
BONUS FEATURES
Disc 1
Commentary
by Zhang Yimou and Ziyi Zhang (with subtitles) The director
and his star come together to talk about 'House of Flying Daggers'
and 'Hero'. Shooting the two film back to back, the pair reveal
what it was like working on two ambitious, period projects and
highlight the differences between the two films, in both story
and approach. Ziyi Zhang
reveals the amount of training she had to go through to prepare
for each film, highlighting how she had to remember all the
moves, dances steps and
fight positions. The pair also discusses the look of the film,
the cinematography and how critics and audiences at festival
screenings received the film. This is a chatty and informative
commentary from two stars of Asian cinema.
Trailers
Previews of Dear Frankie, The Chorus, Elektra, Sideways and
Hide & Seek
Disc 2
* 'Making Of' featurette (45 mins)
* 'Inside Look' featurette (15 mins)
* Interviews with cast and crew
* Biographies of cast and crew
* Storyboard to finished film comparison
* 'Lovers' music video
* Location scout visits
* TV spots
* Trailers
