CORPORATE LINE: It is 859AD, and the Tang Dynasty, one of the most enlightened empires in Chinese history at its height, is in decline. The Emperor is incompetent and the government is corrupt. Unrest is spreading throughout the land, and many rebel armies are forming in protest. The largest, and most prestigious, is an underground alliance called the “House of Flying Daggers.”
The House of Flying Daggers operates mysteriously, stealing from the rich to give to the poor. Thus, they have earned the support and admiration of the people and expanded quickly. Based in Feng Tian County, close to the Imperial Capital, the House of Flying Daggers has long been a thorn in the side of the local deputies, their hated rivals.
The deputies are enraged because, even after they fought and killed the leader of the House of Flying Daggers, the House continues to thrive. Under the leadership of a mysterious new leader, the House of Flying Daggers grows ever more powerful. Feng Tian County’s two local captains, Leo (ANDY LAU TAK WAH) and Jin (TAKESHI KANESHIRO) are ordered to capture the new leader within ten days.
Captain Leo suspects that Mei (ZHANG ZIYI), the beautiful new dancer at the local Peony Pavilion, is actually the daughter of the old leader. He hatches a plan to arrest her and bring her in for questioning. When Mei refuses to divulge any information on the House of Flying Daggers, the two captains set up another plan. This time, Captain Jin will pretend to be a lone warrior called Wind and rescue Mei from prison, earning her trust and escorting her to the secret headquarters of the House of Flying Daggers.
The plan works, and on their long journey to the House, Jin and Mei warm to each other. Before long, Mei has developed feelings for her enigmatic protector, and Jin is surprised to find himself falling for Mei’s headstrong charm. Both struggle to contain their feelings, but under the starry night, their irrepressible desire is almost beyond their control. Danger lurks in the forest surrounding them, and the wind is still, as if sensing the tension in the air. What lies ahead for Jin and Mei, these star-crossed lovers? If this is true love, then why are there plots in their heads…and secrets in their hearts?
THE MOVIE: The one and only issue I had is how little time was spent with the actually House of Flying Daggers. Where they are found is absolutely breathtaking and their skills and entire aura push the film to a wonderful level.
House of Flying Daggers is a visual masterpiece. Every color is lush and seemingly painted with watercolors. If only we were so lucky to live in such a colorful and brilliant landscape. The bamboo forest is stunning with the rich green leaves and the white costumes that contrast.
The story seems familiar—the heroic tragedy is an easy enough topic and has become the rage for American studios to bring to our shores from Asia. It’s easy to get into the story and give a lot away—however I’ll refrain from ruining the movie for you. In fact if you are reading this skip the rest of the review and go buy the movie now—you won’t regret it.
Ziyi Zhang is a star. She shines once again in House of Flying Daggers. You believe she is her character. Zhang has an emotion and quality that makes for powerful performances that would shame many American actresses. The dancing scene with the drums is spectacular.
There are martial arts fans who are probably wondering if this film is love or war. It is both. The fighting is intense and never seems too orchestrated. The swords fly however nothing is as cool as those Flying Daggers and the bamboo fighting scenes rivals that of the tree top chase in Crouching Tiger.
DVD FEATURES: Thankfully those of us who only speak English can watch without subtitles. The commentary track by director Zhang Yimou and actress Ziyi Zhang is subtitled—but still a must see.
A 45 minute documentary is included that shows the making of House of Flying Daggers. You can watch the choreography and the cast and crew discuss the film offer a lot of insight about the movie and its director.
FRANKLY: There is absolutely no doubt that House of Flying Daggers is dazzling to watch. There is no grain of salt—this is not all visual and little else. House of Flying Daggers comes to an end and it seems too soon. This is the kind of movie where you wish there’d been more. Another hour would have been a treat; a rarity in film today.
+ Charlie Craine
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.