Curse of the Golden Flower (2006)

Sadly Over-hyped

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

This is a gorgeous movie made by a gorgeous spirit.

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

First i thank my parents to have picked this Chinese movie because i think it's my first one in 1000+ reviews. Sure my taste explains it but i can't also train it if i don't have opportunities. For that, France is awful because except our language and American production, media are close to foreign films, maybe due to the fact that we think we are genius and all the world is retarded! This movie is the flagrant proof that China can make movies too and in addition at an extraordinary level! When i see that Bertollucci is praised for his big historical movies, that LOTR is praised for its hardworking production, here you have the same efforts, poetry, choreography and however no recognition! This movie lost its single Oscar for costumes and didn't have nominations in Cesars! So it's shameful ostracism if not racism. But i let this poor fed-up experts to have fun with their hollow, stupid, soulless western movies while me i enjoy the oriental ones as they are the ones left to bring us what movies should be!

The Emperor (Chow Yun-fat) returns with his second son, the Empress's first son, Prince Jai (Jay Chou) after a northern campaign. The Empress (Gong Li) has been having an affair with her stepson Crown Prince Wan (Liu Ye), the emperor's first son. She's planning to overthrow the Emperor but he's been slowly poisoning her. It's palace full of intrigue as the youngest Prince Yu arrives.The brightly-colored grand sets and costumes set this off. Although it can be a distraction. Some of the action is great. The final battle is a massive color explosion. The melodrama is over the top. Everything is over the top. None of the characters are appealing. It's hard to care about any of them. This is interesting to look at but not that compelling to watch.

Yes, this is a visually beautiful film. The manipulations of the entitled classes is the main plot point. The ending is not at all positive or happy. I know life is not always pleasant, but it is amazing to realize how much of life's unhappiness is artificially caused by those in power. To me the bad guy in this drama is merely an *******. Same as Henry the 8th and all those who abuse power. I was disappointed in this movie, but I can see how others might find it a beautiful, even a great film. I have another kind of movie that I would like to make.

This is, quite plainly, a dreadful movie. It's hard to believe that this is the director of The Road Home. The golden costumes--tinsel, tinsel, tinsel--that so often fill the screen are laughably gaudy and cannot be justified on the basis of historical accuracy. The exquisite Gong Li chews up the scenery and then spits it out, and the grimaces of the Eldest Son when he discovers that darkest of secrets-- predictable with a capital P--are difficult to watch without smiling sadly and sympathetically for the actor. My knowledge of Mandarin is thin, so I had to watch the movie accompanied by the English soundtrack...my Lord, what overheated clichés are shoveled in our direction. There is not a death scene in the movie (and there are many) that doesn't involved writhing, screaming, and an obligatory facial closeup. The final battle was, I suppose predictably, more like the stylized mass choreography preceding the Olympics (Yimou was responsible for those, too) than anything that might actually have happened in battle. If you want to see Yimou do something like this much more adroitly, I recommend House of Flying Daggers or even Hero. This film, to put it plainly, is a waste of everyone's talent.