Susan Granger’s review of “House of Flying Daggers” (Sony Pictures Classics)
If you’ve never seen a martial arts extravaganza like “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” then Zhang Yimou’s newest epic adventure will thrill you. But, frankly, I preferred his previous film, the visually dazzling “Hero,” which has just come out on Video and DVD. Set in China in the ninth century, amid the corruption of the Tang Dynasty, this story centers on an underground political rebellion run by a secret society of Robin Hood-esque assassins known as the House of Flying Daggers. The complicated, convoluted plot involves three characters: two police captains (Japanese-Taiwanese actor Takeshi Kaneshiro and Hong Kong’s Andy Lau) and a graceful yet formidable blind dancer (China’s superstar Zhang Ziyi), a courtesan at a house of pleasure called the Peony Pavilion – although no one is what he/she seems to be. Writer/director Zhang Yimou (“Raise the Red Lantern,” “Ju Dou”) discards his charming, lyrical mysticism in favor of a straightforward narrative and cleverly choreographed “wuxia” (chivalry and swordplay). There’s also an innovative, intriguing interlude, called The Echo Game, that involves agile dancing and intricate drumming. While Zhao Xiaoding’s lush rural landscape cinematography is impeccable, particularly when it captures autumn’s change into winter, the duplicitous love triangle never develops any emotional depth. And enough with the conventional flying/fighting in the bamboo forest! What was astounding at first has now become a stylized clichŽ – and the crescent-shaped, gravity-defying flying daggers are all-too-obviously CGI. Nevertheless, on the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, “House of Flying Daggers” is an awesome 8, culminating with operatic soprano Kathleen Battle singing the theme song, “Lovers.”
