The first thing a person will notice when they watch "Cures of the Golden Flower" is its vivid imagery. If you thought "Speed Racer" was an eyeful, check this out! It's just as colorful, except that it's all real (or at least it seems to be). If there's any true statement that can be made about Zhang Yimou's 2006 film, it's that it's NEVER dull in the visual sense. It's a pity that the story couldn't have been just as strong. Then we'd have a real masterpiece!
In ancient China, trouble is brewing in the royal palace. The royal family has come home to celebrate the Chrysanthemum Festival. The Emperor (Chow Yun Fat) is a power hungry sadist who is slowly poisoning his wife (Gong Li). Her sons (Jay Chou, Yi Liu, Junjie Qin) are in the middle of this increasingly stretched chasm. If this seems like something Shakespeare would write, I was thinking the same thing, but it isn't.
The problem with the film is that the storyline is weak, and the characters are sketchily developed. These aren't necessarily bad qualities, but a film that tells a broad story with one-dimensional characters needs to have more bombast. Visually, the film has it. But story-wise, it thinks it's more complex and developed than it is. As a result, the film drags, especially in the middle.
At least the acting is good. The film stars two of Asian cinema's shining stars, Chow Yun Fat and Gong Li. Typically, Chow Yun Fat has played the hero type in films (this is especially so for American audiences). Given his background as an action star (he was a favorite of John Woo and one of the stars of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon"), one might assume he's incapable of playing a bad guy. Think again. The Emperor is truly evil. He's got a vicious mean-streak a mile long, and no act of sadism is beyond him. Admittedly, Gong Li doesn't have much to do except look crazy, but Li is so talented that she can make even the most boring character the best in the film (there's a reason why she's known as the Asian Meryl Streep). Her sons fare worse. Ye Liu is flat, bordering on bad. Jay Chou manages to be the only likable character in the film, and the only one we really feel for. Junjie Qin is unimportant. However, Man Li, Liu's lover, is adorable, and despite having a secondary role, she has the most visible character arc.
Zhang Yimou has a flair for visuals, that much is certain. However, although his films "Hero" and "House of Flying Daggers" became art-house hits with the demand for stylized Asian martial arts movies after the success of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," they were both defined by one thing: they lacked a story. With "Curse of the Golden Flower," he's rectified that, at least somewhat. At the rate he's going, in a few films he's going to create a masterpiece.
I recommend the film, but note that although the beginning is weak, it gets better. Just stick with it.
In ancient China, trouble is brewing in the royal palace. The royal family has come home to celebrate the Chrysanthemum Festival. The Emperor (Chow Yun Fat) is a power hungry sadist who is slowly poisoning his wife (Gong Li). Her sons (Jay Chou, Yi Liu, Junjie Qin) are in the middle of this increasingly stretched chasm. If this seems like something Shakespeare would write, I was thinking the same thing, but it isn't.
The problem with the film is that the storyline is weak, and the characters are sketchily developed. These aren't necessarily bad qualities, but a film that tells a broad story with one-dimensional characters needs to have more bombast. Visually, the film has it. But story-wise, it thinks it's more complex and developed than it is. As a result, the film drags, especially in the middle.
At least the acting is good. The film stars two of Asian cinema's shining stars, Chow Yun Fat and Gong Li. Typically, Chow Yun Fat has played the hero type in films (this is especially so for American audiences). Given his background as an action star (he was a favorite of John Woo and one of the stars of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon"), one might assume he's incapable of playing a bad guy. Think again. The Emperor is truly evil. He's got a vicious mean-streak a mile long, and no act of sadism is beyond him. Admittedly, Gong Li doesn't have much to do except look crazy, but Li is so talented that she can make even the most boring character the best in the film (there's a reason why she's known as the Asian Meryl Streep). Her sons fare worse. Ye Liu is flat, bordering on bad. Jay Chou manages to be the only likable character in the film, and the only one we really feel for. Junjie Qin is unimportant. However, Man Li, Liu's lover, is adorable, and despite having a secondary role, she has the most visible character arc.
Zhang Yimou has a flair for visuals, that much is certain. However, although his films "Hero" and "House of Flying Daggers" became art-house hits with the demand for stylized Asian martial arts movies after the success of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," they were both defined by one thing: they lacked a story. With "Curse of the Golden Flower," he's rectified that, at least somewhat. At the rate he's going, in a few films he's going to create a masterpiece.
I recommend the film, but note that although the beginning is weak, it gets better. Just stick with it.