Cast: Takeshi Kaneshiro, Andy Lau, Zhang Ziyi, Song Dandan
Director: Zhang Yimou
Producers: Bill Kong, Zhang Yimou
Screenplay: Li Feng, Zhang Yimou, Wang Bin
Cinematography: Zhao Xiaoding
Music: Shigeru Umebayashi
U.S. Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics
In Mandarin with subtitles
One of the most colorful and stylish films of the end-of-the-year season is Zhang Yimou's House of Flying Daggers, his wire-fu followup to Hero. This is an "animated" film in the most literal sense, because it's a high-energy production with only occasional lulls for exposition - the kind of motion picture that causes audiences to salivate. It's thin when it comes to plot and character development, but Zhang finds numerous ways to compensate for those deficiencies.
If you think Hero is a sumptuous film, prepare to be blown away by House of Flying Daggers. From a purely stylistic vantage point, no other 2004 film is its equal. The martial arts sequences are more exciting and elaborate than those in Hero, and, while this movie does not rely as heavily upon color schemes as its predecessor, it nevertheless contains some stunningly gorgeous sequences. Consider, for example, a battle that begins in the autumn, with all of the trees showing their glorious colors. It starts to snow and soon everything is covered in white. When people talk about the magic of cinema, they're referring to moments like this.
The bare bones narrative opens in the ninth century. A rebel group fighting to bring down China's Tang Dynasty goes by the name of "House of Flying Daggers" and acts in a Robin Hood-like manner, stealing from the rich and giving to the poor. Two guard captains, Jin (Takeshi Kaneshiro) and Leo (Andy Lau), are sent on a mission to find the hidden rebel base. To do this, Jin courts the affections of Mei (Zhang Ziyi), a blind call-girl who may actually be a key member of the Flying Daggers group. After breaking Mei out of prison, Jin goes on the run with her, and discovers that his growing feelings for her could interfere with his mission.
House of Flying Daggers features six amazing battle sequences, all of which are surrounded by an epic aura. The first fight occurs in the Entertainment House, where Mei duels with an expert swordsman. This is followed by the Echo Game (essentially a pre-electronic version of SIMON). Later, there are conflicts in the forest, in the fields, and in the trees. Then there's the tragic, final struggle. Perhaps most notable is the conflict that is inexplicably missing. The movie leads viewers to believe that there will be a titanic clash between guards and rebels, but, despite the buildup being in place, the battle never happens. This curious omission causes House of Flying Daggers to end on an anticlimactic note.
The actors and stunt doubles do their jobs well. Most impressive is Zhang's current leading lady, Zhang Ziyi, who has grown considerably as an actress in recent years. She's more than just a pretty face, and she captures the arrogance and vulnerability of Mei perfectly. She can be sexy and seductive one moment (such as when she's bathing) and deadly the next. Her male counterpart, Takeshi Kaneshiro, is equally effective, and the critical element of any romance - I'm referring to "chemistry" - is present. House of Flying Daggers has a little something for everyone, and only the disappointing ending keeps it from being a truly memorable film on par with Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Combined with Hero, this gives Zhang an amazing one-two stylistic action punch.
© 2004 James Berardinelli