Zhang Yimou really is one of the best directors of this genre (I also recommend you watch Hero). This is a tale of love, betrayal and, again, some damn good swordplay. We follow Mei who is a member of the Flying Daggers, a underground group plotting against the government, who gets arrested until she is freed by a mysterious figure where she soon starts to fall in love. This really was a tragic film. By the end, I was so emotionally invested that the final scenes just killed me inside. Like taking out my heart and stabbing it with a dagger...a flying dagger...*ahem*. Exploring the themes of love, it conveys the lengths we go to be with the one we truly love. Interestingly the majority of this film is actually set in a woods, varied by autumnal trees and bamboo. Both make for some great action scenes, particularly the bamboo forest ambush. Yimou's utilisation of colours creates some visually splendid landscapes, again the bamboo forest uses several shades of green, both in natural aspects and the characters' attire. The production design truly excelled within the Peony Pavilion, where the costume design was also fantastic. The Echo Game scenes were inventive and splendid to watch. Zhang Ziyi, who is one of my favourite Chinese actresses, exhumed elegance, innocence and a sense a badassery. Her choreography was already exquisite, but having to do that without actually looking at the opponent (due to her character being blind) really showcases mastery of the art. The love triangle was beautifully crafted and held a glimpse of tenderness. A few gripes, I found the CGI projectiles to be jarring and too frequent. The story is not as grand as other martial art epics so may not be particularly engaging for everyone. Also the betrayals that are revealed towards the end seemed too convenient and didn't really impact me. However, this is another solid Chinese wuxia flick with a tragic love story that definitely makes you emotionally invested.

"House of Flying Daggers" is a very colourful, emotional and unique wu xia movie. While this film includes many beautifully staged fight scenes with daggers, swords and bare feet and hands, this film focuses much more on character development. While the beginning of the movie seems to focus on an investigation on a conspiracy including military interventions, mysterious rebel groups and underground agents, the second part of the film clearly focuses on a complicated love story with several twists and turns. In the end, this movie should be described as a romantic drama with occasional fighting scenes in a historically inspired but not authentic setting.What really drives this drama is obviously the acting. Zhang Ziyi does an outstanding job as mysterious blind dancer who is suspected to be the daughter of a deceased leader of a rebel group called House of Flying Daggers. This intriguing character has many secrets and it's never exactly certain what this character wants, feels or even is until the very end. This character alone is worth watching this movie. The two male leading characters are also great. On one side, there is police officer Jin who is going through significant changes. In the beginning, he is carefree, rude and wild but he progressively discovers himself over the course of this movie. On the other side, there is his friend, the more experienced officer Leo who is much more serious, clever and careful but who becomes more and more emotional throughout the movie. It's almost as if the two characters were slowly switching their attitudes throughout the movie. The entire story revolves around these three characters from the mysterious start to a dramatic finish.Sadly, the potentially intriguing conflict between Tang Dynasty leaders supported by the military and police and the mysterious rebel group House of Flying Daggers supported by undercover agents is never resolved in this movie. The entire film builds up a lot of tension between the two groups and both sides prepare for a massive fight towards the end of the film but that ultimate conflict is never shown. Even though the drama around the three main characters is really intriguing, it's disappointing that this part of the story isn't told. The movie feels unfinished in my opinion.Aside from the stories and the acting performances, the movie obviously convinces with an authentic soundtrack, charming costumes and colourful settings that are typical for director Zhang Yimou. Especially the use of colours, natural landscapes and seasons is meaningful and philosophical. Still, this movie doesn't have the same depth, elegance and significance as Zhang Yimou's previous masterpiece "Hero". The fighting scenes are always entertaining but clearly not among the best in the wu xia genre.In the end, you will admire this film if you expect a romantic drama with gripping fighting scenes in an intriguing context which is carried by three superb leading actors. If you expect a gripping wu xia film with a clear definition of protagonists and antagonists, stunning fighting scenes and a grand finale, you might be disappointed. This movie is one of the most intense Chinese dramas since the beginning of the new millennium but only an average martial arts film.

The Tang Dynasty is weak and the House of Flying Daggers rebels have been stealing from the rich to give to the poor. The rebel leader has recently been killed. Local deputies Captain Leo (Andy Lau) and Jin (Takeshi Kaneshiro) are ordered to kill the new leader within ten days. Jin goes to be a client to the new blind dancer Mei (Zhang Ziyi) who is suspected to be the previous leader's daughter. Leo comes in to arrest both Jin and Mei. Jin breaks her out of prison hoping she would lead him to the House of Flying Daggers.There is no doubt that this is a visual delight. It is beautifully shot. There is a bit too much melodrama for me. I don't feel any connection to the love triangle. It takes over the movie and saps away my attention. It gets awkward and I stop caring. I can do without the convoluted soap opera but the movie is still very beautiful. In fact, the movie never stops looking beautiful even as the story grinds to a halt.

I wanted to see this movie for a while because I do enjoy the style of Wu Xia. I enjoyed Hero, Jade Warrior (although I don't think that can be counted because it's a Chinese/Finnish co-production) and I thought Crouching Tiger was okay. Impressed with Yimou Zhang's work I saw this and I actually think it's better than Hero.The plot is that in around 300BC China has this Robin Hood type group called The House Of Flying Daggers who steals from the rich to give to the poor among other criminal activities. A Soldier named Jin helps capture the former leader's blind daughter (Ziyi Zhang) but he falls in love with her and helps her to escape in order to find The House Of Flying Daggers. However it is an elaborate plot by the Chinese government to find the house and put an end to their criminal activities. However along the way things get more complicated then before.If there is any complaint with this movie it's that some of the twists and turns get very convoluted - I'm not going to reveal them but There is about 5 twists in 5 minutes at one point. It's almost like "Okay, enough!" I mean call it a nitpick but I think this movie could have been a little longer to spread these out.Aside from that I love almost everything else - I mean the cinematography isn't as good as Hero but I can see why it was nominated for the Oscar (I mean stuff like the final fight and the fight against the guards in the Bamboo forest - sorry if I screwed the term up is where it shines the best). The story is full of emotion and there is hardly a dumb moment in it. The acting is amazing, I have only seen Andy Lau in Infernal Affairs but he does a good job here and so does Ziyi Zhang and Takeshi Kaneshiro is very good as Jin. The editing in the fight scenes especially does get pretty choppy, I mean although I liked this more than Hero (yes, I said that) Hero does have the better fight scenes ONLY because they're better edited.I would say if you're a fan of this sort of movie - check it out. I mean out of all the Wu Xia films this is easily one of my favourites and definitely the best movie I've seen in a while. I'd say if you want to watch it for the beautiful looking Chinese country-side or the emotion put into the story then this is certainly one I'd recommend to you.