House Of Flying Daggers (2004)

34 out of 37 people found the following review helpful:

Not what you might think, but good all the same...

James Wright from Surrey, 14th January, 2005

Do not go and watch this film expecting two hours of pioneering martial arts scenes. If you want that, rent one of the Matrix films, god knows that's all they're good for. What you should look forward to is involving relationships and a story that is far more thoughtful and complex than you average sword-flick. Zhang Yimou, as with his previous film 'Hero', creates a breath-taking view of the part fantasy, part ledgend world in which the characters live. He also weaves intricate plotlines that provide welcome suprises throughout the film. Finally, he does drop in the occasional bit of fisticuffs... most of which will be the most exciting and balletic sword/dagger/hand-to-hand combat scenes you will see in a cinema. One thing he can't do though, is coax a decent performance out of his actors. Only Zhang Ziyi convinces as a blind but deadly dancer.

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27 out of 31 people found the following review helpful:

GET ON WITH IT!

RJTaylor from , 7th February, 2006

...is what I mostly found myself thinking during House of Flying Daggers. Five stars for aesthetics, four stars for performances, but a measly one star for writing. The plot is so thin that it would struggle to make a meaty 90 minute film; this film draws it out over nigh on 2 hours. The characters are also very shallow - some background would have been nice - and I did get a bit tired of the way that the players manage to slice and dice one another, spit out a bit of blood and then carry on like they've just grazed their knee or got a bit of a splinter, rather than a whacking great sword in the back. So all this averages out to three stars. Hero was better.

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18 out of 23 people found the following review helpful:

Film of the Year

Bribaba from , 28th December, 2004

The House of Flying Daggers is a great title for any film, and in this case the finished article more than lives up to the promise suggested. The sets, the lighting, the costumes, the set-pieces; it makes you realise how audiences must have felt when they first encountered sound. The action sequences are astonishing, even though it's essentially a love story. That's quite enough in itself, but there's also a political allegory running lightly in the background. Light enough, at least, for the film to be considered suitable for export, unlike some of Zimou's earlier, more trenchant works. The beauty of this film is that can be enjoyed on many different levels and, hopefully, by many different people. It is for these reasons that it gets my not-yet-coveted Best Film of 2004 award.

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15 out of 18 people found the following review helpful:

masterclass

Mark MacMillan from scotland, 14th October, 2005

Every frame of this picture looks like a Monet painting, the bamboo forest scenes stand out as bursts of vivid colour and stark contrasts contribute to possibly the most beautiful piece of camerawork Ive ever seen. As for the plot its simple and thats no bad thing, performances are fine, with the female lead particularly enchanting. This is a style of cinema far removed from UK or USA and its impossible to compare ...and impossible to fault

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Fairly good and plenty of action

Bradders1949 from , 23rd August, 2010

House of Flying Daggers is undeniably worth a watch if you like action and martial arts, however it does get a little strenuous having to read all the subtitles. Fortunately there is enough action, during the movie, which greatly helps to ignore this minor gripe i have. The action scenes in the movie are sublime, but the plot is lacking in something and the action outshone the storyline in my opinion, which is not something that bothered me too greatly, as i enjoyed the martial arts and skilled battles, which were rife throughout the movie. If i rated the movie on the action scenes, alone, then it would possible, come close, to achieving a rating of 5. Good movie, but not if you are looking for a vintage storyline.

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*** May contain spoilers ***

House Of Flying Daggers: Zhang Ziyi's Finest Hour

AxlReznor from , 12th August, 2010

Since the release of Ang Lee's masterpiece, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, the western world finally opened up as a market for wuxia. Some of them - like Seven Swords - were pure nonsense, about as convincing as Xena: Warrior Princess, but every now and again, a true gem would emerge. Legendary Chinese director Zhang Yimou's Hero was one of these, as was his follow-up, House Of Flying Daggers. Yimou is renowned for the use of colour in his movies, and that holds true here. The visuals in this movie are so beautiful, it could be two hours of shots of the sets and wondrous locations and still be considered fantastic. Like Crouching Tiger before, House Of Flying Daggers focuses on a love story. After a blind dancer played by Zhang Ziyi working at a teahouse is arrested, the two police captains who made the arrest hatch a plot to trick her into leading them to hideout of a group of rebels known as the Flying Daggers - basically a Chinese version of Robin Hood's Merry Men. Takeshi Kaneshiro's Jin is tasked with gaining the girls trust, only to find himself developing real feelings for her. The movie has many strong performances, but there is one person who shines above all else. Zhang Ziyi was one of four major characters in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, showing off her potential stardom with her combination of looks, athleticism, and acting skill. In this movie, finally given a chance to carry a movie, that potential is fully unlocked. All three of the vital elements that make her so captivating on screen are caught here at the top of their powers. Advertised as a martial arts movie, you'd be surprised at how little action there is here. But when it arrives, it features majestic movements that really give the movie that extra bit of icing that makes House Of Flying Daggers one of the most beautiful movies ever made.

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awesomely amazing!!

sblack from , 31st July, 2010

i have always loved this film! its just amazing, and even though its subtitled and im really not good with keeping up with those... its easy to follow as the story is so intense and passionate. highly recomended!

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Stunning

A Customer from NW england, 12th May, 2010

Stunning film , keep the pace, though you will be forgiven for thinking i have seen all this before somewhere

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