- Condition: New
- Format: Blu-ray
- AC-3; Color; Dolby; Dubbed; Subtitled; Widescreen
The deceptions fly as fast as the blades in director Zhang Yimou's elegantly filmed "wu xia" drama set in feudal China, where rebels battle the corrupt Tang regime. Suspecting a jailed blind dancer belongs to the anti-government faction House of Flying Daggers, a police captain masquerades as a rogue swordsman and helps her escape, hoping she'll lead him to the group's headquarters, only to fall in love with the woman. Zhang Ziyi, Takeshi Kaneshiro and Andy Lau star. 119 min. Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtracks: Mandarin Dolby Digital 5.1, English Dolby Digital 5.1, French Dolby Digital 5.1; Subtitles: English, French; audio commentary; "making of" documentary; featurette; music video; storyboards; photo gallery. In Mandarin with English subtitles/Dubbed in English.No one uses color like Chinese di! rector Zhang Yimou--movies like
Raise the Red Lantern or
Hero, though different in tone and subject matter, are drenched in rich, luscious shades of red, blue, yellow, and green.
House of Flying Daggers is no exception; if they weren't choreographed with such vigorous imagination, the spectacular action sequences would seem little more than an excuse for vivid hues rippling across the screen. Government officers Leo and Jin (Asian superstars Andy Lau and Takeshi Kaneshiro) set out to destroy an underground rebellion called the House of Flying Daggers (named for their weapon of choice, a curved blade that swoops through the air like a boomerang). Their only chance to find the rebels is a blind women named Mei (Ziyi Zhang,
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) who has some lethal kung fu moves of her own. In the guise of an aspiring rebel, Jin escorts Mei through gorgeous forests and fields that become bloody battlegrounds as soldiers try to kill them bo! th. While arrows and spears of bamboo fly through the air, Mei! , Jin, a nd Leo turn against each other in surprising ways, driven by passion and honor. Zhang's previous action/art film,
Hero, sometimes sacrificed momentum for sheer visual beauty;
House of Flying Daggers finds a more muscular balance of aesthetic splendor and dazzling swordplay.
--Bret Fetzer"Prepare your eyes for popping," in this "martial-arts fireball that throws in a lyrical love story, head spinning fights and dazzling surprises" (Rolling Stone). "A gorgeous entertainment" (A.O. Scott, New York Times). Mei is an exotic, beautiful blind dancer, associated with a dangerous revolutionary gang, known as the House of Flying Daggers. Captured by officers of the decadent Tang Dynasty, Mei finds herself both threatened - and attracted - to the most unusual circumstances. Here, her heart and loyalties battle each other, amid warriors in the treetops and dazzling combat - the likes of which have never before been seen!No one uses color like Chinese director Zhang ! Yimou--movies like
Raise the Red Lantern or
Hero, though different in tone and subject matter, are drenched in rich, luscious shades of red, blue, yellow, and green.
House of Flying Daggers is no exception; if they weren't choreographed with such vigorous imagination, the spectacular action sequences would seem little more than an excuse for vivid hues rippling across the screen. Government officers Leo and Jin (Asian superstars Andy Lau and Takeshi Kaneshiro) set out to destroy an underground rebellion called the House of Flying Daggers (named for their weapon of choice, a curved blade that swoops through the air like a boomerang). Their only chance to find the rebels is a blind women named Mei (Ziyi Zhang,
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) who has some lethal kung fu moves of her own. In the guise of an aspiring rebel, Jin escorts Mei through gorgeous forests and fields that become bloody battlegrounds as soldiers try to kill them both. While arr! ows and spears of bamboo fly through the air, Mei, Jin, and Le! o turn a gainst each other in surprising ways, driven by passion and honor. Zhang's previous action/art film,
Hero, sometimes sacrificed momentum for sheer visual beauty;
House of Flying Daggers finds a more muscular balance of aesthetic splendor and dazzling swordplay.
--Bret Fetzer
