Le secret des poignards volants

In the Ninth Century, the Tang Dinasty in China is weak and corrupt, and an army of rebels called "The House of the Flying Daggers" fights against the government military forces, and steals from the rich to give to the poor people. Leo (Andy Lau) and Jin (Takeshi Kaneshiro), two captains of the government army, plot a scheme against the rebels using the blind dancer Mei (Zhang Ziyi) to approach their leaders, but their love for Mei leads them to a tragedy.

"Shi mian mai fu" is a beautiful romantic adventure, with amazing clothing, cinematography, colors, music score, fight and martial arts choreography and special effects. The story begins like an action movie, and ends like a tragic romance. Visually, it is an impressive masterpiece, the story is also very nice, Zhang Ziyi is amazingly gorgeous and I really liked this movie a lot. My vote is nine.

Title (Brazil): "O Clã das Adagas Voadoras"("The Clan of the Flying Daggers")

After absolutely loving 'Hero', I couldn't wait for Zhang Yimou's latest Wuxia Pien feature to arrive on DVD. After watching it, I'm happy to say I wasn't disappointed, as it is another sumptuous, stylistic feature, which deserves all the accolades it is likely to receive.

The plot of the film is told in a more linear narrative when compared to that of 'Hero', but that is not to say it is any more straightforward. Set in the Tang Dynasty, the basic premise is nothing to write home about, featuring government officials on the trail of an underground rebel alliance 'The House of Flying Daggers'. However, there is enough characterisation and depth to hold your attention, while the (sometimes predictable) plot twists keep you guessing. Unfortunately, there is nothing entirely new about this story and it's probably familiar ground to fans of the wuxia genre. Nevertheless, it flows at a decent pace and is punctuated with enough stylistic action sequences that the 2-hour running time is quickly exhausted.

As with Yimou's impressive previous feature, Tony Ching Siu-tung takes over the action direction, producing another sterling performance. In my opinion, he is currently the top fight choreographer around after spending so many years being considered second fiddle to the likes of Yuen Wo-ping and Sammo Hung; he now deserves to be considered above them on his current output. In this instance, much of the overt stylisation evident in Hero is played down in favour of more grounded, natural martial artistry. There is still plenty of wire work and a spattering of CGI to aid the sequences, however, it is plain to see that much of the action displayed is a mix of genuine swordplay and actual technique. All the performers acquit themselves well considering none of them are formally trained in martial arts – especially Zhang Ziyi who performs impressively from start to finish.

As you would expect from a Zhang Yimou film, the visuals are majestic, with primary colours and panoramic landscapes making up much of what we see. Unfortunately, many people do not seem to take to this artistic approach, and will label the film another case of style over substance. I would disagree, as I believe it contains plenty of both with a strong cast, interesting characters and high quality action to provide the foundation for the kind of bold, sumptuous visuals, which are rare to find in modern film.

Overall, I personally prefer 'Hero' but know of plenty who would disagree. As a result, I recommend it as a definite purchase to any fan of films from this genre.

There may be some unanswered questions at the end of the movie and yet I'd watch this film over and over again just to witness the use of costumes, the martial arts skill and how they blend to make a very palatable story. Those who are trashing this film do so senselessly. The films' lovebirds are throughly attractive but not at all bland and you root for them because they appear to belong together; they have a natural chemistry which can be difficult for two actors to have. As can be the case in Asian films, like the recent hit "Hero", the costumes and the use of color are important characters all by themselves. So many elements come together beautifully that what's also ironic is the that film could easily be a stage play. I enjoyed this immensely. Just awe-inspiring!

Seldom will you find, such beauty unrefined, a multi-coloured canvas, seductive elegance with prowess, that caresses like a breeze, a wind that sails throughout the trees, soaring high, gliding along, the ever changing seasons song.

As visually spectacular a piece of filmmaking that you're ever likely to come across, with some outstanding scenes choreographed to perfection, the acting and performances in perfect tune with the surroundings, all centred around deception, deceit and devotion, leaves a film that perpetually stands the test of time and nails a dagger to your heart each and every time you return.

How much you enjoy "House of Flying Daggers" may depend strongly on how familiar you are of martial arts films as well as how accepting you are of the clichés in the genre. Some things in the film are utterly ridiculous and if you are the type who thinks too much, then you'll probably not be so impressed. For example, the film has one of the more familiar silly themes in Asian films (both Chinese and Japanese)--the blind warrior who is able to defeat practically anyone. Sure, there is a twist to it in this film, but the idea of a blind person being a master with the sword is pretty nutty. Also, the daggers that fly in this film defy every possible law of physics. So, you just have to accept this or your head might explode. And finally, only in a martial arts film can anyone fight on after having a bazillion fatal injuries (see "Throne of Blood" to see the ultimate scene like this).

The story, however, is wonderful and provided you can let yourself just sit back and absorb it all, you are in for a treat. Rarely have I seen a more exquisitely filmed movie. The use of birch trees and bamboo is amazingly artistic--as are the Fall colors. Also, the musical score is lovely and works so very well with the visual aesthetics. As far as the swordplay, martial arts and the like, it's also amazing--and light-years ahead of the wonderful old Shaw Brothers spectacles (which were great for their time). Overall, a real treat--a film full of excitement, romance and artistry. Well worth your time.