When I heard this was the Chinese entry for the Oscar race I couldn't wait to see it. But...it was a mistake for China to bet all its money on this one. China has done much better. Kaige Chen has done better (Emperor & the Assassin), but he's also done worse (Temptress Moon). This is definitely a case when less would have been more. A smaller budget would have prompted a higher standard of creativity and craftsmanship.
This picture has been plagued by bad luck and over-hype as lavish as its inflated budget. It seems as though it was almost rushed into release. Even as Wu Ji it was nominated for a Golden Globe, the buyer of the US distribution rights promptly backed out of the deal after the re-cut. So, what's wrong with this picture? There are definite problems here... namely a little too much emphasis on special effects especially in the beginning and special effects of dubious quality. And then there's Nicholas Tse whose inanely villainous portrayal is nothing short of idiotically juvenile. And then there are some curious plot questions that never really get answered. In short, cohesiveness and continuity are quite lacking at times.
The core of the story is good-- promises made, promises broken, betrayal and deception; the pitfalls of human weakness--a lot like Chen's Emperor & the Assassin in that respect but there all similarities and parallels end. The Promise's presentation is a way too cluttered-- like a fantasy run amok. And, in the end, it is a fantasy-- not high drama. It strives for depth but more often than not only treads water.
It does take a while to get itself together and it doesn't always succeed, but at some point rather late in the game it seems to find some semblance of stability and ends better than it starts. If only it could have found its rhythm earlier. Recommended for some good cinematography sequences and costumes. Not the worse film, but definitely one not to be taken too seriously. Enjoyable performances by Dong-Kun Jang and Hiroyuki Sanada, but with the exception of precious few scenes, Cecilia Cheung is primarily just along for the ride.
This picture has been plagued by bad luck and over-hype as lavish as its inflated budget. It seems as though it was almost rushed into release. Even as Wu Ji it was nominated for a Golden Globe, the buyer of the US distribution rights promptly backed out of the deal after the re-cut. So, what's wrong with this picture? There are definite problems here... namely a little too much emphasis on special effects especially in the beginning and special effects of dubious quality. And then there's Nicholas Tse whose inanely villainous portrayal is nothing short of idiotically juvenile. And then there are some curious plot questions that never really get answered. In short, cohesiveness and continuity are quite lacking at times.
The core of the story is good-- promises made, promises broken, betrayal and deception; the pitfalls of human weakness--a lot like Chen's Emperor & the Assassin in that respect but there all similarities and parallels end. The Promise's presentation is a way too cluttered-- like a fantasy run amok. And, in the end, it is a fantasy-- not high drama. It strives for depth but more often than not only treads water.
It does take a while to get itself together and it doesn't always succeed, but at some point rather late in the game it seems to find some semblance of stability and ends better than it starts. If only it could have found its rhythm earlier. Recommended for some good cinematography sequences and costumes. Not the worse film, but definitely one not to be taken too seriously. Enjoyable performances by Dong-Kun Jang and Hiroyuki Sanada, but with the exception of precious few scenes, Cecilia Cheung is primarily just along for the ride.