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Shi mian mai fu (2004)
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Overview
Plot:
A romantic warrior breaks a beautiful member of a rebel army out of prison to help her rejoin her fellows, but things are not what they seem. full summary | add synopsisAwards:
Nominated for Oscar. Another 16 wins & 36 nominations moreNewsDesk:
(4 articles)
Spielberg Plays Down Yimou Collaboration Reports (From WENN. 29 August 2006)
Zhang Yimou To Direct Olympic Ceremonies (From WENN. 17 April 2006)
User Comments:
Following on from HERO with another visually arresting feature... moreCast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| Takeshi Kaneshiro | ... | Jin | |
| Andy Lau | ... | Leo | |
| Ziyi Zhang | ... | Xiao Mei (as Zhang Ziyi) | |
| Dandan Song | ... | Yee | |
| Hongfei Zhao | ... | Performer | |
| Jun Guo | ... | Performer | |
| Shu Zhang | ... | Performer | |
| Jiusheng Wang | ... | Performer | |
| Zhengyong Zhang | ... | Performer | |
| Yongxin Wang | ... | Performer | |
| Dong Liu | ... | Performer | |
| Qi Zi | ... | Performer | |
| Xuedong Qu | ... | Performer | |
| Liping Tian | ... | Performer | |
| Hongwei Zhao | ... | Performer |
Additional Details
Also Known As:
House of Flying Daggers (Hong Kong: English title) (International: English title) (Singapore: English title) (USA)Attack from Ten Directions (International: English title) (literal title)
more
MPAA:
Rated PG-13 for sequences of stylized martial arts violence, and some sexuality.Parents Guide:
View content advisory for parentsRuntime:
119 min | Australia:118 minLanguage:
MandarinColour:
ColourAspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 moreSound Mix:
Dolby DigitalCertification:
South Korea:12 | France:U | Iceland:12 | Singapore:NC-16 (re-rating) | Iceland:14 | Malaysia:U | Singapore:PG (original rating) (cut) | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Brazil:14 | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Finland:K-15 | Germany:12 | Hong Kong:IIB | Ireland:15A (original rating) | Ireland:15 (video rating) (cut) | Netherlands:16 | Norway:15 | Philippines:PG-13 | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Zurich) | UK:15 (cut) | USA:PG-13 | Mexico:BMOVIEmeter: 
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
Concerned that Western audiences would not be able to tell Andy Lau and Takeshi Kaneshiro's apart in the beginning of the film as they are dressed similarly, Yimou Zhang had Kaneshiro's character eat peanuts throughout many of the opening scenes to distinguish them. moreGoofs:
Continuity: At one point during a scene between Jin and Mei, we seen Jins face on the left of the screen with a tree in the background on the right and his hair completely straight. The shot then cuts to Mei and then back to Jin where we see him with a tree on his left and his hair being blown by wind. moreFAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more
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After absolutely loving 'Hero', I couldn't wait for Zhang Yimou's latest Wuxia Pien feature to arrive on DVD. After watching it, I'm happy to say I wasn't disappointed, as it is another sumptuous, stylistic feature, which deserves all the accolades it is likely to receive.
The plot of the film is told in a more linear narrative when compared to that of 'Hero', but that is not to say it is any more straightforward. Set in the Tang Dynasty, the basic premise is nothing to write home about, featuring government officials on the trail of an underground rebel alliance 'The House of Flying Daggers'. However, there is enough characterisation and depth to hold your attention, while the (sometimes predictable) plot twists keep you guessing. Unfortunately, there is nothing entirely new about this story and it's probably familiar ground to fans of the wuxia genre. Nevertheless, it flows at a decent pace and is punctuated with enough stylistic action sequences that the 2-hour running time is quickly exhausted.
As with Yimou's impressive previous feature, Tony Ching Siu-tung takes over the action direction, producing another sterling performance. In my opinion, he is currently the top fight choreographer around after spending so many years being considered second fiddle to the likes of Yuen Wo-ping and Sammo Hung; he now deserves to be considered above them on his current output. In this instance, much of the overt stylisation evident in Hero is played down in favour of more grounded, natural martial artistry. There is still plenty of wire work and a spattering of CGI to aid the sequences, however, it is plain to see that much of the action displayed is a mix of genuine swordplay and actual technique. All the performers acquit themselves well considering none of them are formally trained in martial arts especially Zhang Ziyi who performs impressively from start to finish.
As you would expect from a Zhang Yimou film, the visuals are majestic, with primary colours and panoramic landscapes making up much of what we see. Unfortunately, many people do not seem to take to this artistic approach, and will label the film another case of style over substance. I would disagree, as I believe it contains plenty of both with a strong cast, interesting characters and high quality action to provide the foundation for the kind of bold, sumptuous visuals, which are rare to find in modern film.
Overall, I personally prefer 'Hero' but know of plenty who would disagree. As a result, I recommend it as a definite purchase to any fan of films from this genre.