I have a high threshold for bad movies. While I think the Resident Evil movies are horrible, I sat through both of them without complaining too much. I even put myself through an Uwe Boll marathon just to see what the hype was all about. But this movie actually made me physically violent. It just made my angry that I was wasting two hours of my life watching a film that I knew was bad.
So, why is this film bad? First, it's a horribly (can't use the word I want to) poor adaptation of Hamlet. Now, not all adaptations of Shakespeare have to be accurate or even full adaptations. Kurosawa's "Throne of Blood" and "Ran" are excellent adaptations of Shakespeare's plays that rely loosely on the plots and themes of MacBeth and King Lear respectively. How does this film adapt Shakespeare? By exposition. The characters essentially speak the plot of Hamlet to each other, constantly reminding the audience that they are watching a Chinese interpretation of Hamlet. You're basically sitting through a two hour plot summary of a four hour play. There are better adaptations of Hamlet... and if you really need to get your Shakespeare fix through Asian cinema, get it through Kurosawa, because he does it infinitely better.
Second, the film assumes that you're an idiot. The film not only explains the symbolism of the most basic visual cues - the meaning of the color red, the meaning of water, and really anything that you could think of - but it also over explains the plot. In one convoluted scene, a general calls the Empress the Empress Dowager. The Emperor that goes on a five minute tirade on how this is an insult to his dignity. As if you couldn't figure that out on your own. And the film constantly does this. So, you're not only sitting through exposition that reminds you that you're watching Hamlet, you're basically sitting through a director's commentary as told by the characters in the film. It makes for a painful experience.
Third, if you're expecting some of that Wu Xia stuff to impress you, because this is billed as a Wu Xia film, well, you're going to be disappointed. There is probably one short scene at the end which is slightly impressive, but on the whole it disappoints. It's not that kind of a movie, even if it's in the genre.
So really, there's no reason to watch this film. If you want a good version of Hamlet, go watch Branaugh's version. If you want a good Asian adaptation of Shakespeare, go watch Throne of Blood. If you want a good Wu Xia film, go watch Hero, or even better, go to your local Chinatown and pick up something from the 90s. However, if you want a film that is patronizing and treats you like a five year old child, then this one's for you.
So, why is this film bad? First, it's a horribly (can't use the word I want to) poor adaptation of Hamlet. Now, not all adaptations of Shakespeare have to be accurate or even full adaptations. Kurosawa's "Throne of Blood" and "Ran" are excellent adaptations of Shakespeare's plays that rely loosely on the plots and themes of MacBeth and King Lear respectively. How does this film adapt Shakespeare? By exposition. The characters essentially speak the plot of Hamlet to each other, constantly reminding the audience that they are watching a Chinese interpretation of Hamlet. You're basically sitting through a two hour plot summary of a four hour play. There are better adaptations of Hamlet... and if you really need to get your Shakespeare fix through Asian cinema, get it through Kurosawa, because he does it infinitely better.
Second, the film assumes that you're an idiot. The film not only explains the symbolism of the most basic visual cues - the meaning of the color red, the meaning of water, and really anything that you could think of - but it also over explains the plot. In one convoluted scene, a general calls the Empress the Empress Dowager. The Emperor that goes on a five minute tirade on how this is an insult to his dignity. As if you couldn't figure that out on your own. And the film constantly does this. So, you're not only sitting through exposition that reminds you that you're watching Hamlet, you're basically sitting through a director's commentary as told by the characters in the film. It makes for a painful experience.
Third, if you're expecting some of that Wu Xia stuff to impress you, because this is billed as a Wu Xia film, well, you're going to be disappointed. There is probably one short scene at the end which is slightly impressive, but on the whole it disappoints. It's not that kind of a movie, even if it's in the genre.
So really, there's no reason to watch this film. If you want a good version of Hamlet, go watch Branaugh's version. If you want a good Asian adaptation of Shakespeare, go watch Throne of Blood. If you want a good Wu Xia film, go watch Hero, or even better, go to your local Chinatown and pick up something from the 90s. However, if you want a film that is patronizing and treats you like a five year old child, then this one's for you.
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