Curse Of The Golden Flower
State of Being : Wowed
What an apt manner to end the year 2006 by catching the epic blockbuster Curse Of The Golden Flower (满城尽带黄金甲) , directed by the internationally acclaimed Zhang Yimou. With a budget of $45 million it is the most expensive Chinese film to date, surpassing Chen Kaige's The Promise. As usual, Gong Li turned in a stellar performance as Empress Phoenix alongside with Chow Yun Fat as Emperor Ping. Sadly Jay Chou as Prince Jai should stick to his day job for it is quite evident that acting is certainly not his forté.Not only was I impressed with the elaborate costume and stage sets, I was more wowed by the remarkable cinematography especially the "colourful" settings. Though I must admit that the tight (and I mean REAL tight) corsets worn by the Empress and the palace maids proved kinda distracting to the viewers as their bosoms were clearly "bursting" out from the costumes. It must have been extremely difficult for the actress to breathe! =P
Overall an intriguing film with plot that is adapted from Cao Yu's 1934 drama Thunderstorm and influenced by the failed rebellion of Huang Chao. Highly recommended to anyone seeking for a visual entertainment. Final verdict:
Plot - ****1/2, Effects - ***1/2, Substance - ***1/2
Plot - ****1/2, Effects - ***1/2, Substance - ***1/2
Note: Alas, the movie was jarred by the sudden conclusion accompanied by the totally mis-matched Jay Chou's song "菊花台" as the credits rolled.
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