The general consensus is that director Tsui Hak, after several attempts of dubious success, is back in his usual form. Whether it is top form is subject to debate.
Few, if any, would disagree that this movie is an entertainment package that provides you with top-notch cinematic entertainment for two solid hours. Putting the cast aside for a minute, the central set piece is a stunning, towering structure of a Buddha statue overlooking the sprawling imperial city in China more than a thousand years ago. The plot line starts when the construction of this monstrous structure is close to completion, with a mysterious death at the observation terrace (a platform at its eyes), a spontaneous combustion of a senior government official that turns him instantly into a piled of charred bones.
While the detective work (not unlike Sherlock Holmes) is the main plot, there is political intrigue in the highest order, the deadly struggle to stop the coronation of the first ever empress in China. For wire-fu action fans, this movie is also completely satisfying. Of particular interest is the protagonist's weapon, given to him by the late emperor, a mace that can detect the weak point in an opponent's weapon, allowing him to break it with a single blow. Photography and special effects (CGI or otherwise) are also world class. Set design and costumes are dazzling.
Additional spoiler warning on the material below.
Andy Lau is the best choice for Detective Dee, released after 8 years of imprisonment for opposing the rule of a woman, Wu Zetain, who would eventually become emperor. Lau is completely comfortable in projecting the easy, somewhat stoic confidence as well as passionate patriotism of the protagonist.
Carina Lau has just matured to a point where she imposes a convincing screen presence that is expected from Empress Wu. What she adds, from her own persona, is a touch of feminine sensitivity that you may not find in many portrayals of Wu that came before, in both cinema and TV.
Tony Leung Ka-fai proves again my theory of "No wasted budget on big names": when there is a big name in the cast, unless it's an obvious cameo, you know that the apparently non-essential character he plays must have more to it. (Think Ben Kingsley in the recent "Prince of Persia" as you know what I mean). Leung's portrayal of the contrast between his character at the beginning and at the end is masterful.
Li Bingbing has become the hottest screen icon in China. "I am not one of those people who simply exploded into fame. I got there slowly," she intimates in a recent interview. "I've never thought about becoming a star. I don't want to be seen and followed with interest", she adds. She attributes everything to destiny, in which she deeply believes. In this movie, with icy coolness, she plays Wu's protégée, body guard, top aid, plus perhaps more.
While the main focus of this movie is entertainment, it does have a historical perspective as Wu, the first empress of China, is among the most controversial historical figures. One thought-provoking question would be that if a depot is capable and the people general benefit, does it really matter if he or she is fiendishly cruel and ruthless? The movie misses a good opportunity to underscore this theme for the audience to ponder over. In the final scene when Dee pleads with the villain not to assassin Wu, the reason he gives is that the method of assassination employed would mean killing a lot of innocent people in the process. The movie would have gone up a notch if, instead, Dee points out that despite Wu's short-comings (including, sigh, being a woman), she is the best ruler they had at the time, and killing her would be doing the entire empire a disservice.
Few, if any, would disagree that this movie is an entertainment package that provides you with top-notch cinematic entertainment for two solid hours. Putting the cast aside for a minute, the central set piece is a stunning, towering structure of a Buddha statue overlooking the sprawling imperial city in China more than a thousand years ago. The plot line starts when the construction of this monstrous structure is close to completion, with a mysterious death at the observation terrace (a platform at its eyes), a spontaneous combustion of a senior government official that turns him instantly into a piled of charred bones.
While the detective work (not unlike Sherlock Holmes) is the main plot, there is political intrigue in the highest order, the deadly struggle to stop the coronation of the first ever empress in China. For wire-fu action fans, this movie is also completely satisfying. Of particular interest is the protagonist's weapon, given to him by the late emperor, a mace that can detect the weak point in an opponent's weapon, allowing him to break it with a single blow. Photography and special effects (CGI or otherwise) are also world class. Set design and costumes are dazzling.
Additional spoiler warning on the material below.
Andy Lau is the best choice for Detective Dee, released after 8 years of imprisonment for opposing the rule of a woman, Wu Zetain, who would eventually become emperor. Lau is completely comfortable in projecting the easy, somewhat stoic confidence as well as passionate patriotism of the protagonist.
Carina Lau has just matured to a point where she imposes a convincing screen presence that is expected from Empress Wu. What she adds, from her own persona, is a touch of feminine sensitivity that you may not find in many portrayals of Wu that came before, in both cinema and TV.
Tony Leung Ka-fai proves again my theory of "No wasted budget on big names": when there is a big name in the cast, unless it's an obvious cameo, you know that the apparently non-essential character he plays must have more to it. (Think Ben Kingsley in the recent "Prince of Persia" as you know what I mean). Leung's portrayal of the contrast between his character at the beginning and at the end is masterful.
Li Bingbing has become the hottest screen icon in China. "I am not one of those people who simply exploded into fame. I got there slowly," she intimates in a recent interview. "I've never thought about becoming a star. I don't want to be seen and followed with interest", she adds. She attributes everything to destiny, in which she deeply believes. In this movie, with icy coolness, she plays Wu's protégée, body guard, top aid, plus perhaps more.
While the main focus of this movie is entertainment, it does have a historical perspective as Wu, the first empress of China, is among the most controversial historical figures. One thought-provoking question would be that if a depot is capable and the people general benefit, does it really matter if he or she is fiendishly cruel and ruthless? The movie misses a good opportunity to underscore this theme for the audience to ponder over. In the final scene when Dee pleads with the villain not to assassin Wu, the reason he gives is that the method of assassination employed would mean killing a lot of innocent people in the process. The movie would have gone up a notch if, instead, Dee points out that despite Wu's short-comings (including, sigh, being a woman), she is the best ruler they had at the time, and killing her would be doing the entire empire a disservice.