Another stunning achievement from Yimou Zhang, Li Gong and China. Sumptuous in its splendor and gripping in its drama -- few films have mesmerized me like Shanghai Triad.From the glitzy, showy nightclub numbers to the simpler life in the country -- nothing is safe in a world dominated by a life of crime and showgirl/gangster's moll Bijou (Li Gong -- gorgeous and siren-like) finds herself in the middle of all of it as the girl of a very dangerous man.As a woman who values her life of materialism, she is forced to re-examine and contemplate her own life when it clashes with that of an innocent servant boy enamored with the beautiful creature when they are forced to escape the dangers of Shanghai and seek refuge in a rural, isolated island locale. It is not a standard gangster flick as the film centers on these two main characters; but everything they do has repercussions mafia-related.As I said ... the film is stunning (in ALL aspects). This has been a favorite of mine since I first saw it (Li Gong on stage early on -- sigh).

Shanghai Triad is a Chinese film directed by Zhang Yimou.It stars Gong Li together with Li Baotian and Wang Xiaoxiao. The film is set in the criminal underworld of Shanghai.In the story,country boy Shuisheng is brought to Shanghai by his uncle who wants the boy to become a member of the powerful gang ruled by manipulative Tang.Shanghai Triad takes place over the course of seven days in the 1930s.The story begins as a fourteen-year-old boy, Tang Shuisheng has just arrived in Shanghai from the countryside. He is met at the docks by his uncle, Liu, who has sent for Shuisheng to work as a servant for a Triad Boss, also named Tang and a distant relative. Before he meets his new employers, however, he is taken to a warehouse where two rival groups of Triads carry out an opium deal that goes wrong, leaving one of the rival members dead.Shuisheng will serve Tang's capricious mistress Bijou, a nightclub singer whom the boss proclaimed "the Queen of Shanghai." When the boy's uncle and the gang's several other members die during a rival gang's unsuccessful attempt on Tang's life, the latter retreats to a remote small island, taking both Bijou and Shuisheng with him and thinking of revenge. Shanghai Triad is a coming-of-age film about a boy that gets exposed to the mob or Triad.It tells us how he gets initiated into the gangster's violent ways.Aside from that,it also tells us how an outsider gets disillusioned to the ways and means of the gangsters in the case of Bijou.The acting was superb especially from Gong Li and Wang Xiaoxiao.Both provided interesting characters.The direction was outstanding and excellent as well from Zhang Yimou.This is could have been a classic film but it falls short to be one for its screenplay shifted its focus more into Gong Li's character rather than that of Wang Xiaoxiao (for commercial purposes I suppose for she was a big Chinese star and the director's relationship with her) when its focus should be more of the young boy rather than the Triad boss' mistress.But nevertheless,it has the capacity to entertain.

One day you wake up wishing had a lot of things. You dream of luxury, plenty of everything, succulent foods, fine jewelry, luxury cars... and why not, live in a mansion. To achieve this, scores with a beautiful body and a pleasant voice to sing. And then, you attract a man who can bring things like you want... and as much you longed to have them, do not ask questions, but you know who you are provided by not acting with dignity, hurt many people and not treat you like you wish to do so. Suddenly you realize you're paying a high price... nothing, absolutely nothing. Because then you realize that things are worth very little, if a woman does not feel valued, respected and treated with affection. You realize, of little use for luxuries, if you're constantly round the fear and loneliness. You realize that, although now "have everything", you'd be willing to leave if you find someone you truly loved. Like so many women, this is the experience that goes Xiao Jingbao (Gong Li more fascinating than ever), a girl who also encouraged the dream of love, but that falls into the trap of material success and ends in the hands of a gang gangster who will give you all them learned to give. The story is seen from the perspective of a boy named Shusheng Tang, who joins the gang as a servant of the beautiful Xiao, induced by a uncle who expected out of poverty in which has so far lived. Frequent and well achieved subjective shots, put us at crucial moments in the boy's point of view, and with him witnessed the cruel world and weaknesses of the outlaw. Zhang Yimou shines with a flawless picture, a beautiful staging, and a careful pleasing soundtrack that includes songs, among which stands out, especially, the lullaby duet portraying Gong Li and Yang Qianquan girl who gets an emotional role as Ah Jiao, a being that sensitize the beautiful singer and will feel that life offers us wonderful things, but maybe for her are now too late.Once again, Yimou takes a woman as the center of the universe, and his deep nostalgia when he remembers, how the women lost so many dreams and hopes, by yielding to ambition. "SHANGHAI TRIAD" is the kind of movie that no girl should miss.

This is a fine movie - wonderfully acted, beautifully shot, quite simple. Without being heavy-handed, one comes to sense the presence of real evil that tempts and corrupts and destroys. It's a little slow at times because the story is so simple - yet the slowness and simplicity does allow the messages of the movie to hit home. Something else I like is that the protagonist boy is not made to be cute or winning - he just is who he is - largely an observer but sometimes acting with generosity and sometimes with contempt. Much has been said by others about the beautiful cinematography and that's certainly true - but I'm also struck by the amazing work of those who constructed or chose the sets, costumes, background characters - they were quite memorable. What a star in Gong Li, and what a director!I don't agree with those who contrast this with American movies - surely we feel the same evil in watching either version of Scarface or The Petrified Forest or The Road to Perdition. In fact, I would say this movie is most like The Road to Perdition of any I've seen - not in its story particularly but in its tone, its simplicity, its contrasts of character, its cinematography. This is also a good movie for those who say they don't like foreign movies - you'll like this one.