Since I got started… I might as well keep this going for awhile…

Zhang Yimou may perhaps have intended to make this his signature piece in the international film arena but this film is extremely disappointing. I have not watched the original ‘Thunderstorm’, but I have read at least two commentaries which lambasted Zhang of mangling a masterpiece. It is not a surprise that when even someone who knows about the original ‘Thunderstorm’ found it difficult to appreciate ‘Curse’, it is even more difficult for one who is simply out to look for just good, simple visual entertainment to appreciate this arty farty piece of utter crap.

That’s not mentioning the historical inaccuracies, such as the plate armour used in the movie by the Emperor (played by Chow Yun Fatt) and Prince Jie (played by Jay Chou), and the excessive use of gold color, which traditionally is reserved for use by the Emperor, and not even members of his family. Above which, the many half-exposed boobs have been a sore point among some movie critics.

There are of course scenes in the movie which might impress, such as that of the Emperor’s ninja-like special forces attempting to assassinate the Imperial Physician and his family, but then it would have been a lot more convincing had it been in a modern context. Foreigners may have liked the ‘Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon ‘ [卧虎藏龙] look-alike scene, but it would have been better and more convincing if it was from one of those Hong Konger comic like ‘Wind and Cloud’ [风云].

The final battle scene where by the rebels in gold were slaughtered by a better equipped loyalist force – no matter what comparison the arty farty can draw to the Tian-anmen incident – is Zhang’s pathetic attempt in imitating or out-doing the Battle of Helm’s Deep in ‘Lord of The Rings’. For one thing I really couldn’t understand is, why wear golden and attack in the night? And how the heck did those heavy equipment get moved into the palace without alerting the rebels or the conspirators and the Empress? However, let us not be hard on the script writers and begrudge them for not having any tactical sense when all they wanted to do was simply to deliver some impressive screenplay, even when they have failed dismally in this case.

It is however shocking, that in spite of the amount of criticisms, this soulless film had sold extremely well in China. A critic – not local – sourly remarked that the more criticisms are lavished upon the film, the better its box office. He further remarked that this perhaps demonstrates the cultural quality [文化素质] – or the lack of it – of the mainlander Chinese people in general. (His opinion is not mine!)

Gong Li and Chow Yun Fatt, both veterans, are wasted in this movie. This movie would have been a big flop – if not for its showing in China – and this would be been a blot in their respective acting careers even when it is of no fault of their own.

My personal recommendation, if you have not yet watched this movie, is either you give it a miss entirely, or you go can borrow a copy from a friend who has it, just so you can see for yourself if it was as bad as I said it is.