Directed by Zhang Yimou
Chinese director Zhang Yimou is no stranger to creating sumptuous films with stunning visuals, as can be seen in his previous films *Hero* and *House of Flying Daggers*. This time he takes us to the 10th century Tang Dynasty and treats us to its excesses of beauty, wealth, corruption and violence. True to form, the high drama in his latest film features breathtaking cinematography and effects, lavish costumes dripping with gold accessories and a cast of thousands (utilising 1000s of extras, most of whom get slaughtered).
At the centre of the drama of passion and deceit is a volatile balance of power between the Emperor (Chow Yun Fat), the Empress (Gong Li) – courtesy of his arranged second marriage – and the three sons from his previous wife. Political power struggles fade into the background as the personal ones take centre stage. The Emperor is slowly poisoning his wife because of the illicit affair she is conducting with her stepson Prince Wan (Liu Ye). Meanwhile, Prince Wan is in love with the imperial doctor’s daughter Chan (Man Li) and the middle son Prince Jai (Asia’s pop sensation Jay Chou) has divided loyalties.
The setting is ripe for betrayals and everyone is scheming against – well, everyone else. As the Chrysanthemum Festival draws near, the ‘Macbeth’ plot overshadows the Oedipal one, and there is a spectacular massacre amidst the golden flowers. Even though the film is a technical masterpiece, the visual overload is overwhelming. This might be just what some filmgoers want, but the lack of any personal insights into the characters (the Emperor and the Empress don’t even have names) makes the ending a somewhat hollow victory. Even though despotism doesn’t win out in the end, I’m not sure what does.
