My Kingdom (2011)
"Da wu sheng" (original title)

The story of two brothers' quest for fame, love and revenge in the heyday of Shanghai opera.

Director:

Xiaosong Gao

Writer:

Jingzhi Zou (screenplay)

Stars:

Chun Wu, Geng Han, Barbie Hsu

Cast

Cast overview:
Chun Wu	...	Guan Yi Long
Geng Han	...	Meng Er Kui
Barbie Hsu	...	Xi Mu Lang
Louis Liu	...	General Lu
Yuen Biao	...	Master Yu Shengying
Rongguang Yu	...	Master Yue
Annie Shizuka Inoh

Storyline

In the 19th century, the Prince Regent of the Qing Dynasty orders the mass execution of the entire Meng clan. Before his beheading, the leader vows that his family will avenge this travesty of justice. Awaiting his death, a five-year-old Meng boy named Erkui bravely sings an aria. The power and purity of his voice touches the opera star Master Yu and his seven-year-old pupil Guan Yilong. Master Yu rescues the boy and the two orphans become brothers. Years later, Master Yu wins the coveted golden "The Mightiest Warrior" plaque from the Prince Regent, but subsequently loses it in a duel with his archrival Master Yue. Banished from the stage upon his loss, Master Yu spends his time training the two brothers in the village. When the boys grow into men, they set off for Shanghai to pursue revenge. Once they reach Shanghai, they quickly defeat Master Yue, not only reclaiming the plaque but also taking over Yue's opera troupe. Almost overnight, they become sensations of the Shanghai opera ...

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Plot Keywords:

revenge | execution | beheading | training | qing dynasty | 

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Genres:

Action | Drama | Romance

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Details

Country:

China Hong Kong

Language:

Chinese

Release Date:

9 September 2011 (USA)

Also Known As:

My Kingdom

Filming Locations:

Shanghai, China

Company Credits

Production Co:

Celestial Pictures, DW Films, Huanle Jiaoyang Shanghai Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

General Lu: People say, "Prostitutes are heartless, and actors are worse."

User Reviews

Beautiful sets and location but slipshod storytelling

Gao Xiaosong's "My Kingdom" is set in the 'glamorous' world of Chinese opera, with the main part of it based in the tumultuous period of 1920s Shanghai. With Sammo Hung touted as action director, many would expect hot kungfu action - and many would be disappointed. There is a mixture of genres here, part costume drama, part soap opera, part kungfu flick and with a touch of romance. Those who like twists and turns in the plot would like the second half where the vengeance plot starts to unravel.

The film opens at the end of the 19th Century, when the Prince Regent of the crumbling Qing Dynasty orders the beheading of the entire Meng clan. Awaiting execution, a five-year-old Meng boy named Er-kui sings an aria. Deeply moved, opera Master Yu Shengying (Yuan Biao) and his seven-year-old pupil Guan Yi-long rescue the boy and the two orphans become as close as brothers. Yu, who wins a coveted golden plaque from the Prince Regent, is challenged to a duel by a Shanghai rival, Yue Jiangtian (Yu Rongguang). He loses and is forced to retire.

Master Yu trains the boys as warriors in the Peking opera and when they 'graduate' Yi-long (now played by Wu Chun) and Er-kui (Han Geng) move to Shanghai to reclaim the coveted plaque from Yue, who, together with his co-star Xi Mu-lan (Barbie Hsu), operate an opera show in the British concession of Shanghai.

Many important scenes are left to our imagination. Er-Kui's rescue at the opening and his revenge sequences are done in super quick cuts. Actually the 'rescue' scene is non-existent while the revenge scenes are shown in a series of flying dagger shots followed by newspaper reports announcing the murders. The characters are so poorly defined and portrayed that they appear like caricatures. On the opera stage, the main cast of Wu Chun, Han Geng and Barbie Hsu may get away with unconvincing performances, but not when they are offstage.

There is no chemistry among the trio and the 'brotherhood' of Yi-long and Er-kui smacks of 'Brokeback Mountain' at times. Wu, Han and Taiwan magician Loius Liu Qian were obviously chosen for their looks. However, the biggest miscast is of Liu Qian as General Lu. His performance sticks out like a sore thumb as we would be wondering how he manages to be a police chief at such a young age.

As for Sammo Hung's kungfu choreography, we get two: one at the start of the film between veterans Yuen Biao and Yu Rongguang, and a climactic duel between Er-Kui and Mu-lan in a wine cellar which is more dramatic for its wine spillage than the action. On the plus side, the locations and sets of Shanghai look lavish and fabulous. Ditto that for the opera costumes and music score. (limchangmoh.blogspot.com)