The Assassin (2015)
9th century China. 10-year-old general’s daughter Nie Yinniang is abducted by a nun who initiates her into the martial arts, transforming her into an exceptional assassin charged with eliminating cruel and corrupt local governors. One day, having failed in a task, she is sent back by her mistress to the land of her birth, with orders to kill the man to whom she was promised – a cousin who now leads the largest military region in North China. After 13 years of exile, the young woman must confront her parents, her memories and her long-repressed feelings.
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To me, this movie is perfection.
Thanks for the memories!
How sad is this?
It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.
Long stretches of the cast looking at you in some way that must be seen as significant.I saw no significant.I wasn't sure what was happening, and soon did not care.Very long stretches of people doing nothing much.A lot of conversations that had no life in them.
Visually stunning. Aesthetically Done. Very s...l...o...w (can be edited out at least 30 minutes of unnecessary prolong scenes that add nothing more to the story), and NOT particular interesting. Simple story line but, unfortunately, telling in a complicated way with many (unnecessary) characters. The background drum beats are not only annoying but also noticeably a poor copycat of Tan Dun's "Hero" (so do the "guqin" string instrument music - down to the notes.A thought-provoking movie is one thing, a hard to understand, hard to follow to a point of losing interest movie is another thing. This movie is like a concept tryout... an in-development footage. Needs to be more thoroughly thought out to be a polished product.The only attraction is Shu Qi, and even she can't save its boringness.All style, no substance. Pleasant to the eyes, but nothing for the mind.
Directed by the Taiwanese Hou Hsiao-hsien and adapted from a ninth-century Tang Dynasty tale, this film stars Shu Qi as the eponymous, black-cloaked killer Nie Yinniang. Visually the work is sumptuous and stunning with glorious scenery, atmospheric sets, and lingering shots through mist or gauze. However, the plot is minimal, the narrative opaque, and the action sequences all too brief. In an interview with the "Guardian" newspaper, the director insisted: "I don't make films to communicate with an audience. I am the only person who I am speaking to." This indulgent style has won over most critics but is hard on the average viewer.
try and stay awake. I bet you can't. It always amazes me how a film like this can have such a large divide in reviews from people. Some people think it's the best thing they have ever seen and the rest expect a lot more from a film. If you want any of the following (plot, good characters, entertainment) then you won't find it here. If you want to stare at beautiful scenes and cinematography before you fall asleep then this is for you.I wanted to like the film. In fact I do like this style of film normally but there is really nothing to watch. Did I mention you will want to sleep while watching this film? I think I have now written 10 lines so this review will go live.