// 48/365!//

365 FILMS CHALLENGE: Curse of the Golden Flower [2006]

• directed by: Zhang Yimou
• written by: Yu Cao (play), Zhang Yimou
• starring: Chow Yun-Fat, Gong Li, Jay Chou
• rating: C+

The Empress (Gong Li) has been in an unhappy and tenuous union with the Emperor (Chow Yun-Fat) for years. When the second son Jai (Jay Chou) returns from his punishment of serving at the border, a plot to change the power dynamic within the family is ready to begin.

Now, I enjoy films that are stunning in visuals (Hero, Red Cliff) but this one felt like such a bore. The running time could’ve been cut down to 90 minutes without the overindulgence on certain details. I appreciated the luxurious costumes and the choreography (didn’t think that was going to be toned down at all and I was right), but dialogue or any interaction between characters felt so spaced out in between the shots of the palace. I guess it does serve to show the loneliness and the distance between family itself, but I didn’t end up caring very much about anyone at all. I automatically gravitated towards Gong Li’s Empress from the start but that’s just because of how much I love her as an actress. 

I do think Chinese films with a similar theme of visuals are hit and miss with me. There was so much hype about Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon before I saw it and I ended up being disappointed. I think growing up watching more Chinese dramas on TV made me expect more from character development - yes, the CGI/special effects can be awful but I’m willing to look past that. Whereas all the visuals can’t help a weak story or lack of development. The entire film comes off as overly indulgent with not much substance.