I certainly hope this film is nominated for best soundtrack. I thought the story was intriguing even though I feel like I missed some of the cultural subtleties. Add to that a great score, a heart-achingly beautiful Asian chick and lots of lurid scenes. I give it two thumbs and another appendage up! 
Anybody else see it? Why do you suppose she made the choice she did in the end? (Be courteous about spoilers.)
I liked it quite a bit, but not right after I first saw it. It took a few days thinking about it to get past my dismay at the ending.
[spoiler]As much as I wanted a “happy” ending, with her getting away, if not him dead, and as much as I rolled my eyes over “love” causing her to betray her friends and her people, how it ended is the only way it could have ended. I don’t know the complex and complicated reasons she did what she did, because they are too complex and complicated. It ended the way it did because any other ending would have been a cheat. Ang Lee is known for taking genre pictures and turning them on their head. He just did it again.
As horrible as that man was, in a way I almost felt sorry for him at the end. He finally lets someone in, but his paranoia was correct all along. Others had tried to betray him, and they died. She had to die too, and once again he was left alone and lonely. Note that “almost” though. Boy did I want him dead.[/spoiler]
It’s a beautiful-looking film, with great acting and an interesting story. I would expect no less from Ang Lee.
It’s easy to see why it’s rated NC-17, and I think we got an edited version in the US! I don’t know about anyone else, but I think they were really having sex. It sure looked like it.
Edit to add: It was wonderful seeing Joan Chen in a movie again! Also, I do not understand Mahjong in the slightest, but it was a big part of these characters’ lives.
One character mentioned that all women were allowed to do was shop and play Mahjong.
As for the ending …
… why do you suppose she didn’t take the pill opting instead to die with her compatriots? Did she chicken out or what?
Right. What a boring life.
[spoiler]I kept thinking, why didn’t she put that pill into one of his drinks?
I don’t think she chickened out regarding not taking the pill, but that she thought she deserved to die with them, rather than take the easy way out. She knew she deserved the confused/full of hatred look that her friend gave her. That’s my theory, anyway.[/spoiler]