REVIEW:
A near perfect action movie, the three character idea here seems right out of a play, and the story about a hidden society and a woman who may or may not be the daughter of the leader is pretty cool. So is the way the loyalties of the characters go through different stages and twists. And the action is pretty incredible, with a huge focus on weapons that fly through the air as the camera follows them. It starts with peas in a bowl during an echo show, and soon becomes arrows, knives, and even bamboo spears. The color usage here is masterful. The only thing that doesn’t quite work is the ending, which is a culmination of one two many twists, and therefore not having any real villain. If you can get passed that, then this is a beautiful, thrilling movie, and probably director Zhang Yimou’s best.