During the long journey heading for Europe, I have finished this controversial
movie directed by Yimou Chang. Unlike his previous works such as Hero and House
of Flying Daggers, this time the billion cost secret story of the royal family
expresses the unexpected insight and ironic humour. Nevertheless, it is not the
typical plot of royal secrets arousing my interest, though I have to admit it is
a successful work in merging assination, adultery, infidelity, and rebellion,
all basic elements of the royal story together. But the extraodinary performances
of the actors and actress bring the spirit and soul to the movie, except for a
numb prince. Yunfat Chow is one of the Chinese actor I most admires, and he also
demonstrates a vivid image of a shrewd, morbid, and hypocritical emperor before
audiences. Chow as the emperor in the movie always emphasizes the "rule." Rule is
an ultimate truth for the country or for the family, which can never be broken, at
least sufficially.
However, the so called rule only reflects his individual will, deeply tinted with
chauvistic and autocratic hues. His ex-wife assassinated, his queen adulterying
with his adoring son, his children killing each other, prince Jay eventually
rebelling, all of these are the causes and the consequences of the rule. The
person worshiped by numbers of people is actually not a fearless leader, but simply
a coward affraid of betrayals. He never realizes when a man begings to afraid of
losing something; then he has already lost it.
Two of the most remarkable scenes for me are the reunions of royal family before
and after Double Ninth Festival. Within the first reunion, Chow stressed on that
the circle should be contained by a square, implying every happiness, triumph, and
prosperity should consist in following the rule. Dramatically, after
his untold past was revealed, after the tragedy of family happened, after the
failure of the rebellion led by his son, after the bloody battle field was
recovered to the gorgeous flower garden as nothing happened, which should be the
most absurb, ridiculous and sarcastic scene in the movie, and after Jay committed
suicede and Li Gong as the queen finally spilled the poisonous prescription, the
so called rule still remained intact; while the circle within the square was
tainted. Is this a metaphor implying that a flourishing country with the flamboyant
surface has gradually corrupted inside? This may be another interesting issue
behind the screen.
movie directed by Yimou Chang. Unlike his previous works such as Hero and House
of Flying Daggers, this time the billion cost secret story of the royal family
expresses the unexpected insight and ironic humour. Nevertheless, it is not the
typical plot of royal secrets arousing my interest, though I have to admit it is
a successful work in merging assination, adultery, infidelity, and rebellion,
all basic elements of the royal story together. But the extraodinary performances
of the actors and actress bring the spirit and soul to the movie, except for a
numb prince. Yunfat Chow is one of the Chinese actor I most admires, and he also
demonstrates a vivid image of a shrewd, morbid, and hypocritical emperor before
audiences. Chow as the emperor in the movie always emphasizes the "rule." Rule is
an ultimate truth for the country or for the family, which can never be broken, at
least sufficially.
However, the so called rule only reflects his individual will, deeply tinted with
chauvistic and autocratic hues. His ex-wife assassinated, his queen adulterying
with his adoring son, his children killing each other, prince Jay eventually
rebelling, all of these are the causes and the consequences of the rule. The
person worshiped by numbers of people is actually not a fearless leader, but simply
a coward affraid of betrayals. He never realizes when a man begings to afraid of
losing something; then he has already lost it.
Two of the most remarkable scenes for me are the reunions of royal family before
and after Double Ninth Festival. Within the first reunion, Chow stressed on that
the circle should be contained by a square, implying every happiness, triumph, and
prosperity should consist in following the rule. Dramatically, after
his untold past was revealed, after the tragedy of family happened, after the
failure of the rebellion led by his son, after the bloody battle field was
recovered to the gorgeous flower garden as nothing happened, which should be the
most absurb, ridiculous and sarcastic scene in the movie, and after Jay committed
suicede and Li Gong as the queen finally spilled the poisonous prescription, the
so called rule still remained intact; while the circle within the square was
tainted. Is this a metaphor implying that a flourishing country with the flamboyant
surface has gradually corrupted inside? This may be another interesting issue
behind the screen.
