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Cast:
Zhang
Ziyi
Takeshi
Kaneshiro
Andy
Lau
Song
Dandan
Action:
Ching
Siu Tung
Producer:
William
Kong
Zhang
Yimou
Director:
Zhang
Yimou
Score:
  
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HOUSE
OF FLYING DAGGERS
AKA:
Lovers
Year:
2004 Reviewer: Andrew
Saroch
While
'Hero'
was earning belated plaudits from the West, Zhang Yimou's
return to the swordplay genre was impressing viewers and
critics alike in the East. Yimou's current muse, Zhang Ziyi,
is once again given a leading role in another lavish mixture
of opulent visuals, strong performances and Ching Siu Tung's
stellar choreography. However, 'House Of Flying Daggers'
suffers from many of the problems that films have recently
encountered when trying to reinvent a well-established genre.
Imperial
agents Leo (Lau) and Jin (Kaneshiro) are in charge of a
ruthless unit of government soldiers who have been ordered to
wipe out the various rebel sects that are beginning to appear.
A particularly notorious clan are known as the 'Flying
Daggers' - a highly skilled group who are determined to spark
a revolution in the powderkeg atmosphere of ancient China. Leo
hears that one of the 'Flying Daggers' is in the area and
assigns Jin the task of winning her favour. The target is a
blind swordswoman named Mei (Ziyi) who is arrested by Leo and
threatened with torture unless she discloses the whereabouts
of her comrades. In a meticulously orchestrated rescue, Jin
saves Mei and begins to gain her trust, slowly gathering
information as he does so. While Jin passes the details onto
Leo and Mei seems blissfully unaware, the end of the 'Flying
Daggers' is inevitable. Nevertheless, the plan is put under
threat by Jin's increasing infatuation with his beautiful
companion and the hidden motives of just about everyone
involved.
It
would be practically impossible for Zhang Yimou to rival the
visual potency that 'Hero' presented and it is therefore
unsurprising that 'House Of Flying Daggers' doesn't compare in
this department. Importantly though, Yimou and cinematographer
Zhao Xiaoding
still manage to compose a
number of splendid cinematic moments that will resonant long
after the memory of the film has faded. The final third of the
production is bathed in a number of shades of vibrant greens
that create a stunning treat for the eyes. Kudos for Xiaoding
is
obviously well earned, therefore.
As
with 'Hero', 'House Of Flying Daggers' generates much
for the eyes, but little for the heart. The immaculate look of
the film can only carry it so far and, when the power begins
to subside, the viewer is left with a production that is
emotionally lacking. There seems to be a license that allows
arthouse films to have the luxury of ignoring such things as
the narrative or plot twists. If a more commercial venture had
such a lack of concentration on the storyline near its
conclusion, it's hard to believe that it would be so easily
forgiven. Make no mistake, Yimou constructs a film that holds
the attention, but he still leaves some gaping holes showing
during the last twenty minutes; when the focus switches from
the hunt for the rebels to the love triangle the whole
production lurches into melodrama. The said love triangle
could have been effective had it not been moved to centre
stage at the cost of every other element. Such a flaw means
'House Of Flying Daggers' is some way from being a classic.
'House
Of Flying Daggers' may suffer from the same emotional anaemia
that afflicted 'Hero' and 'Crouching
Tiger, Hidden Dragon', but it's still a work that oozes
quality. Obviously the aforementioned weaknesses are a major
stumbling block, but the sheer visceral thrill it often
generates is often impressive. As with 'Hero', Ching Siu Tung
designs action that is inventive and, unlike 'Crouching Tiger,
Hidden Dragon', owes more to traditional choreography than
ballet. The excellent rescue scene in the prison is full of
brief, but impressive bootwork action that hasn't been seen in
Hong Kong for a while. Even when the weaknesses come to the
fore, such quality is hard to ignore.
Zhang
Ziyi - whose name is quickly becoming synonymous with the
genre - is again radiant as the beautiful Mei, glowing with
confidence and a paradoxical fragility. The material may not
be especially involving, but her character here is a more
intriguing stretch of her abilities than her supporting role
in 'Hero'. Ziyi has successfully graduated from her petulant
character of 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon', now becoming an
actress whose future career choices look quite promising. Her
two supporting actors add their own varied qualities to their
roles with the end result that, although 'House Of Flying
Daggers' can be criticised for some things, the strength of
the acting is certainly beyond reproach.
As
I said in my review of 'Twins
Effect II', there must be a middle ground somewhere
between the ludicrous, 'zany' swordplay film and the
emotionally detached ones. 'House Of Flying Daggers' does, to
its credit, try to stir up a few more emotions than recent
efforts have - even if it becomes a little preoccupied with
this 'inner turmoil' by the second half. Any work as visually
splendid as this demands an audience and it is always
encouraging seeing a film that hails from a ignorantly derided
genre making waves around the world. Nonetheless, 'House Of
Flying Daggers' has too many trappings of an arthouse
production that screams 'self-conscious' throughout. By the
end of the two hour running time then, little deep impression
is left in the viewer.
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