Now on to the story. the story line was pretty straight forward and simple with the historical battles that not only take place in the dynasty era of China but the fight for power among the ruling family. Note: if you like martial arts and old era movie this is it for you! If not then you can still enjoy the remarkable acting and great music, that makes us all wish we could time travel even if it as for a day. The graphics, costumes, artwork, martial arts movement, dance, everything was breath taking! So stop wasting time reading my review and go enjoy and fall in love with the movie like I did! Thank you!
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1The rest is silence
You know to brace yourself for the pain when Feng Xiao Gang took on Shakespeare’s most famous tragedy in The Banquet. Vengeance, desire, madness, and treachery were never far away in this opulent film inspired by Hamlet.In a tale as old as time, a king is murdered by his brother who then steals his throne and empress. The Crown Prince lives in a bamboo forest with a theater group pining for his lost love who married his father. When the news arrives that his father is dead, killed by a “scorpion sting,” CP Wu Luan heads for the capital. Empress Wan loves Wu but also enjoys the perks and power of being an empress and is disappointed that Wu seems to have little interest in ruling the country. When Emperor Li declares a banquet, everyone in attendance is looking to murder someone else. Family gatherings can be a bear.
The role of Empress Wan was originally to go to Gong Li but due to scheduling conflicts was taken over by Zhang Zi Yi. In the book, the queen was Hamlet’s mother, but here, the young empress had been his lover. I would love to have seen what Gong Li would have brought to the role but ZZY availed herself well as the conflicted, scheming empress. Ge You brought out the fratricidal emperor’s lethal and sexy sides. Daniel Wu’s crown prince varied from brooding to whiny. That’s not a slam, Hamlet was one of the first emo “heroes.” Zhao Xun made the most of this version of Ophelia though Qing never went completely mad. Despite a strong cast, the writing let them down. By the end of the film, I wasn’t heavily invested in any of the characters. Ironically, Ge You’s acting pulled me in more than any of the other performances. It also didn’t help that I knew what the final course of the meal would be.
The story only thinly related to Hamlet and was told at a glacial pace. In order to spice things up there were some of the most erotic scenes I’ve observed in Chinese films. ZZY had a body double for the full backside scenes, something else you rarely see. The final scene strayed from the book in a puzzling manner which left a bad taste in my mouth. The dependable Yuen clan choreographed the few fight scenes which were elegant and bloody. One clandestine fight was more dance fu and foreplay than fists and kicks.
The Banquet excelled in its stunning cinematography, luxurious costumes, and beautiful score. This film was truly a treat for the eyes and ears. By utilizing blank masks and theater, the film gave us a story within a story. Everyone wore a mask in one form or another. The Banquet was a sumptuous feast for the eyes, but some of the dishes were a little bland.
12/12/24
AKA LEGEND OF THE BLACK SCORPION
Trigger warnings: A "romantic" rape. :(
Also, backside nudity and a few gratuitous breast shots that didn't show everything.
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