House Of Flying Daggers [DTS Limited Edition]

DVD Special Features include:
- Making of
- Unscreen footage
- Classic Scene Storyboard
- Intro of Shooting
- Lovers Music Video

Extras:
- Set of Bookmark, 'Bamboo' Pen, OST, 144pg Booklet....

There is Zhang Yi Mou and there is Zhang Yi Mou. The former is a renowned auteur at the forefront of New Wave Chinese cinema, courting controversy with Chinese authorities and darling of the arthouse crowd, weaving emotionally charged tales of moving characters - usually strong women (played by muses Gong Li and Zhang Zi yi or relative unknowns) caught up in intimate set pieces of Chinese peasant and contemporary life ('Red Sorghum', 'Ju Dou', 'Not One Less', 'The Road Home', 'Happy Times') or larger canvasses like the grand patriarchal epoque of 'Raise The Red Lantern', the historical sweep of decade-spanning Cultural Revolution epic 'Lifetimes' and the decadent nostalgia of a bygone era in 'Shanghai Triads'. And then there is his newer alter ego of martial arts or wu xia film director who consciously panders to more commercial tastes in a seemingly elusive bid to replicate the Hollywood crossover success of Ang Lee's 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon'. So far he has helmed two swordplay movies. The epic 'Hero' (now available as a longer 'Director's Cut') is as big as big can be, combining Asia's best world-class acting talents - multiple award winners Tony Leung Chiu Wai and Maggie Cheung with the Kung Fu pedigree of Jet Li and Donnie Yen, wire fu choreographed by Tony Ching Siu Tung, with sets both exquisitely exotic and grand, the requisite cast of thousands, all (un)strung together by a stream of consciousness 'Rashomon' type narrative, a grand(iose) message and enough CGI effects and swordplay movie cliches to make wu xia cognoscenti cringe (the swordless zen swordsman, etc. - my kid sister thinks she has seen it all said and done in HK TV Series, 'nuff said).

And then there is 'House Of Flying Daggers' where both Zhangs meld to create an ensemble piece within a swordplay movie. In a nutshell (tongue firmly in cheek), this is an entertaining 'Jules Et Jim' meets 'Infernal Affairs' transported to Imperial China by way of 'The Matrix' (fans of CGI effects may rejoice, there are more of them) and 'Zatoichi' (there is blood spilling aplenty), with kickass Wire Fu, underscored by elements of hidden identities, betrayal and unrequited love that are ubiquitous to both the wu xia genre and Zhang's trademark dramatic pieces. The plot is bare, focusing on the relationships between Jin (the pretty Takeshi Kaneshiro - yes, I am describing a guy here) and Leo (the ever-cool Andy Lau), both imperial guard captains out to investigate the emergence of a new leader of the rebellious Flying Daggers Clan and Mei (ever pretty Zhang Zi Yi), a mysterious blind courtesan. Jingoes undercover, aiding Mei's escape, when she is captured by imperial guards and they embark on a road trip, all the while being pursued and ambushed by deadly fighters - the Chinese title literally means 'ambushed in ten (or all) directions', all watched over by Leo.

What works, works quite well. Zhang Yi Mou is deft with his painterly hand and the film literally comes alive with rich colour-scapes reminiscent of his work on 'Ju Dou'. The brothel 'drum battle' scene between Mei and Leo bursts onscreen with bolts of colour worthy of a Titian canvass and the intricacy of a Renaissance mosaic, not to mention an effective use of CGI and stunning flowing robe choreography by Tony Ching reminiscent of 'A Chinese Ghost Story' and 'Swordsman II'. The synthesis of this with full surround sound effects make it mandatory cinema going. Ditto for the chase and fight scenes. Mei and Jin wander through fields ablaze in swirling colour like a Van Gogh. The eponymous flying daggers come both fast and furiously sped up as well as slow motioned in bullet time, piercing flesh, drawing blood and dizzily deflecting off weapons. The requisite King Hu inspired bamboo forest fight scene is the yang to the yin of that in 'Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon', emphasizing sheer speed and intense action rather than grace - rapidly slashed off bamboo stakes form almost living deadly cages ensnaring their victims. Overall, the CGI although used in surfeit- perhaps to compensate for the absence of a true martial artist like Jet Li - works effectively.

On paper the rest also sounds like something that should work - after all deep emotional undercurrents and strong character development are Zhang's strengths and the complex melange of feelings in this menage-a-trois should make for a moving story. After all, the flying daggers and omniscient ambush is but a metaphor for the protagonists' feelings - attacked and savaged. However, the characters fail to engage. Andy Lau's betrayed lover fails to evoke pathos and is too cool to the fault of being cold. Zhang Zi Yi as the conflicted Mei, torn between feelings of duty and personal emotion (the giri/ninjo dilemma) does not move (except when she is not meant to - you will know what I mean when the audience chortles with glee). Takeshi Kaneshiro does not go anywhere beyond his good looks. It is as if in his slickly executed search for commercial success and adoption of the wu xia genre that Zhang Yi Mou has somehow lost his ability to move the heart. And that indeed is a conundrum. Next move, maestro....