Curse of the Golden Flower is the latest offering from Zhang Yimou, director of the acclaimed House of Flying Daggers and Hero. The solidarity of the Chinese Tang Dynasty is under threat: Emperor Ping (Chow Yun-Fat) and his stepson Prince Jai (Chou Jay) return to the palace after a considerable absence; the strain between Emperor Ping and his ailing wife, Empress Phoenix (Gong Li) cuts through the air like a Dynasty blade; the conscience of Emperor Ping’s only blood-son, Crown Prince Wan (Liu Ye), struggles under the burden of his secret affair with Empress Phoenix. Tension builds as the Chong Yang Festival approaches and strained relationships promise to end in a full-fledged battle.
Curse of the Golden Flower is definitely an epic on grand scale and deserves much admiration. The viewer is overwhelmed by the immensity and aesthetics of the elaborate cast, costumes, décor and sets. But do not be fooled: if you are expecting another Hero or House of Flying Daggers be warned, for this film is definitely much different. This film has a much slower pace and is certainly more plot-driven. It does not have the extensive martial arts fight scenes that we are accustomed to in Yimou’s other films. The intricate plot and complex web of relationships carry the film to its climax. Chow Yun-Fat and Gong Li respectively give powerful and convincing performances as the cold, ruthless and scheming patriarch-emperor-warrior, and the afflicted, strong empress who refuses to go down without a fight. The ultimate question is: Who will win?
SPOILER WARNING! DO NOT READ THIS IF YOU HAVE NOT YET WATCHED THE FILM: The viewer usually backs the underdog in a film or usually expects evil and injustice to finally succumb to good justness. Many viewers might, therefore, be taken aback when Emperor Ping defeats Empress Phoenix in the end. But I think that the ending is very fitting for two reasons: Emperor Ping would not have been emperor if he had been a weak, caring and do-things-by-the-book man. He is more likely to win because he is more ruthless and sly and the climax is, therefore, more convincing. But one has to ask: At what cost did he win? And can it really count as a win when he has lost absolutely everything that was dear to him: the only woman he ever loved, his only son, all successors to his throne? This makes the ending of the film even more poignant.
Genre: Epic / Romance / Drama / Action
Running time: 114 min
Country: Hong Kong / China
Language: Chinese
Director: Zhang Yimou
Writing credits: Yu Cao (play)
Zhang Yimou (screenplay)
Producers: William Gong
Zhang Weiping
Zhang Yimou
Cinematographer: Zhao Xiaoding
Music: Shigeru Umebayashi
Main Cast:
Emperor Ping – Chow Yun-Fat
Empress Phoenix – Chou Jay
Prince Jai – Emma Thompson
Crown Prince Wan – Liu Ye
Prince Yu – Qin Junjie
Jiang Chan – Li Man
Mrs. Jiang – Chen Jin
Imperial Physician Jiang – Ni Dahong
