Confucius (2010)

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

The joyful confection is coated in a sparkly gloss, bright enough to gleam from the darkest, most cynical corners.

The movie "Kong Zi" reflects how the Confucianism was developed and consummated in ancient China by describing the whole life of Kong Zi. Based on the benevolence, righteousness, courtesy, wisdom and trust, Kong Zi created Confucianism in china. The Confucianism has reflected significant influences to every generation of Chinese people since it was created. From the perspective of Confucianism, it is practical in daily life. The key of Confucianism is to adjust people's behavior and mindset. Confucianism can set clear guide for ethics and courtesy to restrict people's behaviors and to make the society stable. One of the key ideas in Confucianism is courtesy. In the movie, Kong Zi reflected the importance of courtesy from his daily behaviors. For example, whenever Kong Zi went to visit the king of country Lu, Kong Zi completed the whole process of a standard courtesy of Confucianism: Thrice kneeling and nine times bowing. In front of the palace, Kong Zi needed to kneel down with three bows. After entered the palace, he kneeled down with three bows again. Finally, after he saw the king, he needed to repeat the process one more time. In total he needed to kneel down three times with none bows. This courtesy is a typical noble courtesy. Moreover, in the scene of taking dinner, the courtesy was also strict. All people needed to wash hand firstly. After that, they could not make any noise in the dinner. They should sit straight and chewed the dinner slowly. This courtesy for dinner is still applied in china today. At 19', Kong Zi was proposed a toast by his student. Kong Zi lifted his two hands to take the bowl from his student to show his respect. At 96', Kong Zi and his students shared the only one bowl of soup. This scene reflects the courtesy of giving precedence to other people. Another typical courtesy is to make an obeisance by cupping one hand in the other hand before own chest. Kong Zi applied this courtesy to show his respect to people before they had a chat. To show respect to people from different hierarchy, this kind of courtesy is reflected in different ways. The diversified courtesies to different people reflect that the strict hierarchy and courtesy take place at same time in Confucianism. For example, when Kong Zi was competing with Jisun in an archery game, Kong Zi proposed a toast to Jisun because of the requirements of courtesy and hierarchy. At 70', students kneeled down and bow to Kong Zi firstly. After that, Kong Zi also kneeled down and bowed to his students immediately. This scene also reflects that the courtesy and hierarchy are both important in Confucianism. Benevolence is one more important idea in Confucianism. In this movie, Kong Zi gave a clear expression to benevolence by overthrowing a bad tradition. Ancient Chinese got used to bury living people with dead people to show respect to the dead people. Kong Zi led a revolt to against this bad tradition. He insisted that every people should not take other people's life at will. Kong Zi had a well-known word about the benevolence "People who are actuated by Confucianism should realize the benevolence even sacrifice themselves." Moreover, in the scene at 108', Kong Zi taught his student Zi Lu that they should quit from the country because the government officers did not apply benevolence as a guide to manage the country anymore and the country became unstable. Kong Zi also exhibited the significance of persistence to people who practiced Confucianism in daily life. When he was restricted in the place between country Chen and country Cai, his students and him were tormented by hunger more than couple of days. However, Kong Zi asked his students that they should not gave up Confucianism for any reason. This idea is also known as "people should insist their faith and should not be bended for poor and power." The persistence is also reflected from people's loyalty to the king in the country. In the scene at 11'30'', Kong Zi did not cooperate with other people to replace the king of country Lu. Kong Zi believed that loyalty was a basic and critical requirement to people. Feudal code of ethics is another important idea proposed by Kong Zi in Confucianism. When Kong Zi was in country Wei, he taught the king that the leader of a country should apply feudal code of ethics to educate his people. This scene reflects that the education of feudal code of ethics is critical to stabilize a country from the perspective of Confucianism. Furthermore, when Kong Zi was spreading the ideas of Confucianism in country Song, the king and other people of country Song cut the tree that was applied by Kong Zi to shade the sunshine because people did not believe in the feudal code of ethics at the moment. They just wanted to drive Kong Zi and his students out. This scene reflects that the feudal code of ethics in country Song was extinct. At 108', Kong Zi's student-Zi Lu was dying. Zi Lu insisted to adjust his hat to a proper position before died. These scenes exhibits that the feudal codes of ethics are important to both of the country and individual people Confucianism. At the end of the movie, Kong Zi told his students before died: future people can understand me through this book; however, future people can also misunderstand me through this book. In my opinion, "future people" reflects all people who know or are getting to know the Confucianism. The "me" indicates all ideas in the Confucianism. The "book" exhibits people's diversified perceptions of the Confucianism. People who really understand the ideas in Confucianism can practice these ideas in daily life and gradual become as the people who can benefit other people and whole society. On the other hand, people who misunderstand the Confucianism believe that these ideas are only applied for the leaders to control the country and manage their people.

The civil war in China during the first half of the last century from which the Communists emerged victorious left much of the history of the nation problematical. The entire social structure was brought into question and one of the thornier question was the status of Confucius and his teachings. The response of Mao and his comrades was to suppress Confucius and the philosophy that was built on his writings. This was done with the clear intention of infusing the nation with a quite different philosophy.Confucianism, therefore, was suppressed if not entirely outlawed until relatively recent times. It is clearly the intent of this movie to, as we say, rehabilitate Confucius in popular culture. Anyone who has read some of his writings will understand that he is at heart a conservative teacher who appeals to peoples understanding of what they are supposed to do, which is to say that he does not tell people to do this and that but he admonished them to behave properly and to do what is right. You will know what is right if you are a part of Chinese culture and so if you are told to do the right thing then you are being asked, in effect, to be very conservative.With this understanding we see Confucius taking the side of a lad who escaped being buried alive and arguing in from of assembled scholars that he should be set free. In this way Confucius is shown, not as a conservative, but as a radical reformer for the good of the people. He is thereafter persecuted for his radical ideas. This is an interpretation that while not entirely absurd is quite a contrast to the traditional image of Confucius as the old man fussing about how his mat is set out and how the nobles need to be virtuous.It may well be coincidental, but to the American viewer one of the odd elements of this film is the opening and closing theme. We see Confucius sitting and gazing out a window while the orchestra plays a melody that most Americans will recognize as "School Days." The story and the portrayal of the characters is attractive and I don't mean to imply that there is anything false in the tale. I don't know Chinese history or the writings of Confucius well enough to make such a claim. I do think that the movie should be seen in the modern historical context of the rehabilitation of Confucius as a popular figure or cultural hero by the government of the People's Republic.If you know nothing about the times or the man this film will make an excellent introduction, keeping in mind only that it is about a man who has had a vast and generally highly conservative influence.

So how much do you know about the life of Confucius? Probably next to nothing, so any decent film on the topic will have lots to teach you. This one has excellent production values, lots of lavish sets, period costumes, battles, cgi eye-candy. Because it was made in China, with the Chinese government involved, we can be assume that no great liberties were taken with the historical record and that clothes, customs, furniture and such are accurate. This is enough to recommend seeing it.On the level of entertainment, it has several drawbacks. For viewers who do not know their ancient Chinese history, it sometimes becomes confusing trying to keep track of the various kingdoms at war or in alliance with each other, and of some of the ranks of civil servants in order to understand who is supposed to obey whom. When a face appeared on screen, I might have known that I had seen him before, but I was not always sure which kingdom he belonged to and what authority he held.While I would not have wanted some trumped-up romantic interest added to the film, I did miss seeing and hearing from the women of the time.I wonder if a mistake wasn't in trying to cover the entire life of Confucius? I suppose that's what a biopic is supposed to do, but I couldn't help thinking of how Shakespeare built his dramas around one major incident in the life of his protagonists. It keeps the story tighter and more intense, and easier to follow.I was quite surprised at how little we learned of the teachings of Confucius. That was what he lived for, that is why his name has come down through the centuries to us. Several comments are made about his wanting to see "civility" in public life, and one or two aphorism are given, but it would have been much more satisfying to have been given an overview of his essential teachings.

Many people that write on here about films such of this almost have too 'expert' a view. As has been said elsewhere, it is a real epic and the performance by Chow Yun Fat is exceptional. Whilst there is always going to be debate about accuracy, style and even politics about such a film, for lovers of sumptuously shot cinema and outstanding acting, it will be a joy to watch and will open up Confucius the man to many more people. It is actually being widely released in the UK on DVD and Blu Ray on Monday 4th October on the Cine-Asia label, so will be really interesting to see what a much wider audience makes of it. Personally, I think that people will appreciate its quality and see it for what it is - a very well made historical epic movie.