House of Flying Daggers

All I can say is WOW. Honestly, I am completly awed by House of Flying Daggers. I was never one for martial arts movies but to call this movie simply a martial arts movie would be an understatement. My friend recommended this movie to me after seeing it with her dad and was highly impressed by the soundtrack and costumes. Being a bit of a music junkie I watched some clips of the movie online just to hear some of the music. After watching a few sequences I found not only did I really enjoy the music but the movie itself seemed quite enthralling. Let me tell you my high hopes were not let down either. The premise for the movie is that its set in 859 AD and with the Tang Dynasty in decline many rebel groups have appeared, one of them being House of Flying Daggers. Two deputies are charged with finding their leader and to do so they manipulate a believed member of this group and follow her in hopes that she will bring them to her leader. Many trials ensue along the way and there are just so many twists and turns in this movie you might just fall out of your seat. I thought the movie was going to end about six different times before it actually did and not until the very end of the film do you really get to see the true colors of each of the 3 main characters. There were so many unique and beautiful shots in the movie. One of my favorites is from the fight scene at the end. The two rivals are fighting in this huge meadow of white flowers and the background behind them is just blooming with color. The immense forest behind them is filled with trees changing color and the contrast between the white meadow and oranges and reds and greens of the trees is absolutely stunning. After doing some research I found that the director of this film, Zhang Yimou, is known for his strong use of colors and in this movie that certainly holds true. In another scene, in a bamboo forest, just about everything on the screen is green, the costumes, the forest, everything. The sets and costumes in this movie are no exception to the quality of the rest of the film either. In the beginning of the film one of the deputies visits a brothel to obtain information and the women there are all dressed in beautiful silk robes and the building is covered from floor to ceiling with beautiful chinese paintings that the director used to depict the era in which the movie was set, adding to the authenticity of the movie. If your still not convinced you should see this movie you should know its not just a martial arts movie, as i said before. There is also a pretty involved love story occuring at the same time, which is said to be unusual for this genre of movie. Know also that this genre of movie, called wuxia, is also known for never having happy endings so be ready with a box of tissues...but dont jump to conclusions either, as i said before nothing is really ever what it seems. So the action is great, the love story is touching, the set and costumes are amazing, and the soundtrack is unbeleivable. Whats not to like? I certainly loved it but you be the judge.