Curse of the Golden Flower - 2007

Director: Zhang Yi Mou

Cast: Chow Yun Fat, Gong Li,

Genre: Foreign-Chinese, Martial Arts, Tragic Drama

Rating: ** - "Didn't Like It"

I have been watching and following Chinese movies since the time I lived in Hong Kong some 15 years ago. I always liked Zhang Yi Mou, and Gong Li as well, but recently his movies have been, well, rather boring. I expected big things out of Hero, which was a well shot but ultimately boring movie. House of Flying Daggers had outstanding martial arts direction and superb editing, but a laughable story - the ending was so over-the-top and cheesy the audience was laughing in the theater I saw it in.

Well, I guess I still haven't learned my lesson as I sat through yet another gorgeously shot, visually stunning movie with sumptuous sets and costumes and incredible art direction that was, simply put, a boring, sad spectacle. Like so many Chinese movies this one features a lot of tragic drama and family member vs family member conspiracy and evil plots. At the end of the movie pretty much everyone dies a horribly sad and tragic death. There are no good guys in this movie, only a corrupt family plotting against one another for the emperor's throne. The emperor is played by the always great Chow Yun Fat who is the supreme a-hole of the universe, for reasons that are never totally explained although it's obvious he treats most of his family with disdain.

Those expecting martial arts action along the lines of House of Flying Daggers, Hero, or the outstanding Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon will be sorely disappointed. Nearly the entire movie takes place in the royal palace where we are treated to scene after scene of extravagantly dressed royal family members walking swiftly from one room to another as they all connive with and against each other. How exciting! What little action there is takes place in the last 20 minutes of the movie and is sadly reminiscent of some low-budget Hong Kong spectacle from the 80's.

The only reason this movie gets 2 stars is because, like almost all Zhang Yi Mou movies, it is beautifully shot with unbelievably gorgeous sets.

What Parents Need to Know:
Common Sense Media rates this movie as:
16+ = Violent, operatic saga of cruelty and revenge:

Parents need to know that kids who liked Hero or House of Flying Daggers will want to see this movie. But while Zhang Yimou directed all of them, this new film is very different -- it's less focused on the martial arts action than on adult themes like betrayal and revenge. Violence includes poisoning, swordfights, knifings, and armies of assassins mustered for combat on palace. There are plenty of bloody results all around.

Personally, I think it would be fine for mature kids ages 12+, although it would more likely bore them to sleep.

Rotten Tomatoes rating: 65% (Fresh)