House of Flying Daggers

[chris_kfo]

Anyone seen it yet? Review?

[Suntzu]

it's NOT Hero 2.....

[chris_kfo]

Well, it's out on DVD and I saw it. It was good, but IMO not as good as Hero.

[SanSoo Student]

I think Zhang Xiyie (sp?) was hot in this movie... and again I would bone her just like the Japanese/Chinese actor did.

[GeneChing]

It's unfair to compare it to Hero since it didn't have a fraction of the budget. But as the third CMA art film, it was very entertaining. Sort of Zatoichi meets Legolas, a martial arts homage done by none martial artists, a bamboo grove fight ala CTHD, a spy love story, an opulant film like one expects from Zhang Yimou. If you're lusting for Zhang Ziyi's naked shoulder, this movie is for you.

Personally, I liked the film. It's not that ambitious really, even long-winded at times, the fight scenes are unspectacular, and finale didn't resolve everything to my satisfaction. But the film still has merit for it's style. The whole idea of art martial arts films is a new genre that I like to encourage. Zhang can still direct some fine moments and compose shots in some of the most beautiful locations, mostly autumn groves in this film.

I hear that Zhang is working on his third martial arts film now. That's great. What martial arts movies need now is more art directors and less music video directors.

[David Jamieson]

oooooo, naked shoulders!

wait a minute...

too much clam in teh viewing these days I guess, but a shoulder doesn't get me there anymore. What next? Heroin?

[GeneChing]

Yeah, the naked shoulder thing was a bit gratuitous. If you see the film, you'll know what I mean.

[Losttrak]

I watched the film, and in my opinion... it was total b@lls. Zhang Yimou is simply Oscar hunting in his neverending quest to outdo Ang Lee, since CTHD. I will admit that the camera work and set design is pretty d@mned good due to his background. However, some aspects of it are just soo melodramatic and cheesy in an obvious attempt to jerk the tears. Bah.

I believe he even said (before the opening), "If this movie doesn't make you cry, call me" or some BS. lol I imagine his phone was busy as hell after that.

The part I hated the most was when his favorite diva, Zhang Ziyi, gets killed all to h3ll, and the warriors battle it out. Apparently, they command soo much chi, or they fight for soo long that the season changes to winter... Finally, as the battle is starting to wind down a bit... Zhang jumps up after having been dead since at least mid-June, and bids for that final tear-jerker.

Yimou needs to learn to make movies for the sake of creating art and the craft itself, instead of trying to create formulaic pap to beat a rival. I mean, after all... Asia (among others) seems to be one of the last wellsprings of original plot lines and stories. The last thing he wants to do is start to emulate the crap coming out of Hollywood nowadays. /rant off

[doug maverick]

i thought it was way better then hero as it had one consistant story not the same story told three times, i thought the fights were much better(except of course donnie vs jet) and there were more of them, hero was good but, i can't stand to watch it twice and thats seize alot to me about a movie, i 've already seen house of flying daggers twice!!!!! thats just my opinion thou

[GeneChing]

Here's our new e-zine article on House of Flying Daggers

[norther practitioner]

I'm looking forward to seeing it....

[ngokfei]

Entertaining.

Hard to compare the two as the story line dictated the action sequences.

hero was much more a thinker's movie.
My wife hated it because she couldn't understand all the time line stuff. I've seen her filipino movies and she has the nerve to complain!!!!

Man when I saw Hero on VCD I had to watch it a few times, subtitles and all that.

What I really like about the two movies is the scenary. Wow

[chris_kfo]

Yes, the cinematography was awesome.

[Ben Gash]

The cinematography was excellent. Sadly the plot was predictable and cliched. The ending was such a cliche that most of the theatre actually laughed (not good in high tragedy). I can forgive bad plot in a kung fu movie, and I can forgive bad kung fu in an art movie, but bad plot and bad kung fu?

[mickey]

Greetings,

I really did not like this movie. It seemed more interested in look than with story. What are Gurka knives doing in this movie?

I like Andy Lau and this movie was a poor vehicle for his introduction to the West. The guy is a excellent actor who carries a depth of seriousness that is reminiscent of the late Anita Mui. I hope he chooses a better movie next time. He would also be one of my picks for the next James Bond: the others being Jet Lee and Michael Jai White.

mickey