You see, my issue is that it seemed you were summarizing how I would feel about the movie based primarily on the martial arts aspect. And while the martial arts action was still amazingly good, IMO, it was not why I liked the movie overall.
Let me explain something. I may not be any expert in any particular genre. And I certainly don’t have a degree in “Feeeeeeelm”, to paraphrase Mr. Cranky. But I do see a tremendous number and variety of movies, and think I have a pretty good idea of what kicks ass and what sucks ass. Such that it is a common thing for people to come by my little office on Monday morning to ask what movies I saw over the weekend, and how I rated them.
Overall, this movie was a welcome shower of quality in a long drought of mediocrity for this, the worst movie year that I can remember. As I said in my post - there were many things about this movie that stood out. The martial arts action was one of them that seemed to me to be pretty well done. The acting was very good, even that of Chow Yun Fat, IMO. He seemed to fit his character naturally.
The theme of the movie, the choreography, the scenery and setting, and many small details that were paid attention to all combined with the things I previously mentioned to create a pretty damn good movie for the average “someone like Anthracite”.
I understood your point completely. I just did not think you understood mine, as evidenced by the comment I questioned.
Let me ask you this - realizing that the average American film viewer will never notice that Chow Yun-Fat slipped into Cantonese by mistake, or that probably 0.001% of the US has even heard of such worthy films as “Ashes of Time” or “The Blade”, and far fewer have probably seen them. And consider as well the unmitigated Crap-o-Ramasup[/sup] that Hollywood has vomited forth upon our movie screens in 2000. Don’t you think it’s still worth a hearty recommendation, rather than a half-hearted one?
That’s all I was trying to say. And I’m not “mad” at all. There is clear evidence when I am mad.
Yeah, it’s a good movie, I agree. But like I said, I just can’t help but feel slightly disappointed. As for Americans not being familiar with said films… WHY NOT?! Mainstream Asian cinema is, for me, second only to breathing, and it frustrates me to see it marginalized. I just wish Americans would break out of domestic rut. Not everyone cares as much about movies as I do, (witness the legions who prefer pan&scan) but if people would make a little effort instead of just swallowing whatever shit the Hollywood publicity machine crams down their throats, they might find that “foreign films” aren’t limited to artsy European yawn-fests. Anyway, just trying to explain my point of view; this is the one topic that, if I don’t rant and rave about it, it seems no one will.
I’ve said this somewhere before, but I got the DVD weeks ago and the movie is showing just about everywhere that I go these days…
Of course, I AM living in China!
It’s a great movie and ya’ll should appreciate the delayed gratification of having to wait for it… muhahaha, just kidding. Go charter a plane, see it now!
Just saw it tonight. I liked it a lot. (am I the only one who now has a thing for ‘Jen’?)
I could have done without the flying. At least, they should have made some attempt to explain how they were flying. You know, some mention of magic technique in the manual. At the very least, those who were earthbound should have looked impressed!!!
I liked the unconsumated love angle. Spooje got a little weepy. But I was troubled by a couple of things.
If Jade Fox couldn’t read the manual, and therefore couldn’t progress, how’d she get good enough to kill Chow Yun-Fat and his master, who I assume would be just a little bit better.
How come they didn’t put Chow on horse and take him to where Jen would make the antidote? And didn’t it look like she stayed to make several helpings? I mean, she shows back up with big horking bag o’ antidote, when I expected, I dunno, a vile, maybe.
Well, she poisoned the master, so that didn’t require a lot of head-on martial arts skill (“Sweetie, can you go get me a glass of water while I put some poison in your porridge? Thanks, luv.”).
As for getting Chow-Yun Fat, I would say she just got lucky. Deflecting 599 out of 600 poisoned needles isn’t exactly a stroll in the park…
Maybe the stress of riding on a racing horse back to the camp would weaken his metabolism further and reduce the time he had left? It seemed implied to me that they didn’t want to stress him any more than necessary. Shrug
No way in hell should the flying have been “explained.” It’s a given for the genre. I think if the movie had been dumbed down and westernized (which some say it has been, though I would argue that’s Ang Lee’s style) it would’ve lost a lot.
For the people complaining about the flying: Look, it is a standard convention that martial arts masters can overcome normal human limitations. What, you wanted some dialogue, “Now I’m going to use my mastery of martial arts to overcome the limitations of gravity”? Would that have explained it for you?
This is a standard convention albeit to an extreme, just like the standard conventions you find in westerns or cop shows. Nobody complains “Y’know, it just wasn’t realistic for that cop to be so sarcastic. A REAL cop would have been more polite. And how could he think up all those great comebacks so fast? And where did that fruit cart come from?” or “Boy, underneath that hard-bitten exterior, that prostitute had a good heart. Who’d a thunk it?”
I’ve always been interested in Ang Lee, ever since “The Wedding Banquet”. After this movie, he’s going to be able to do anything he wants. Unfortunately that sometimes turns into a curse.
I thought this was the coolest bit of the film. FTR, I saw it twice last week, with different groups, and no one really agreed with each other about what Jen wished for and whether she died.
Remember, the desert thing was Lo’s wish, not Jen’s. I had a feeling that Jen had grown beyond Lo, nice guy that he was and all.
I, being the schmuck of course, had two problems. First, it wasn’t the right mountain, and second, Jen can fly, dammit!! In my mind, that’s just cheating!
Haven’t seen it, but am very excited about it. I just discovered the genre last year-- Chinese Ghost Story, Comet Butterfly and Sword, Warriors from the Mountain Zu (or something)-- great stuff! A new interpretation with a larger budget should be interesting.
This is NOT Matrix rip-off material; this is a quite old and well-developed genre of its own, so get over it, kids. I think it’s marvelous and fresh and it makes me smile so hard the top two thirds of my head starts to fall off.
Great wirework, solid WuShu scenes, the bamboo fight scene may rank as one of the most visually STUNNING things I have seen in a while. Loved the characters, the intrigue and deception. Chow chewed scenery every chance he got and I still find him to be a riveting actor. Yeoh was gorgeous and is showing her age well. Zhang is a fresh newcomer I want to see more of. And I must say Pei-Pei Cheng as the Jade Fox was SO COOL. She must be something like late 60’s and is still throwing down moves that are jaw dropping.
Loved the ending…appropriate to a movie of legends and on par with the mythos of China.
MK, you have discovered the realm of wire fu. There are TONS of movies involving that and you got a good start.
If you are looking for other excellent Wire Fu/Chinese Mytho titles, I highly suggest:
Mister Vampire
Moon Warriors
The Fiery Dragon Kid
Deadful Melody
Loved it. I thought it was a beautiful fantasy/fairy tale, and I mean that in the most flattering way. I would see it again and have been urging family and friends to go.
I dunno, I thought she was just overwhelmed with guilt about her lot in life – she gets to be happy with Lo, but her “sister” ends up a lonely old maid because she (Jen) screwed things up. Fits more with the general downbeat ending, IMO.
She can’t fly, she just gets Jordan-esque air time.
And if Samuel L. Jackson can be a Jedi in The Phantom Menace, why not Chow-Yun Fat? He doesn’t even need a lightsaber – any bamboo stick will do…
