What is the problem of Chinese moviemakers? Every new movie is getting grander, more expensive, and spectacular than its predecessor is. After Chen Kaige’s vainly The Promise last year The Curse Of The Golden Flower takes the honor to be the most expensive film ever shot in mainland China. Thus far.
The story of The Curse Of The Golden Flower is however appallingly simple. Emperor Ping (Chow Yun-Fat) takes revenge on his ill wife empress Phoenix (Gong Li) due to her illicit relationship with the crown prince Wan (Liu Ye) who was born out of a previous marriage. Ping decides to add poison to the daily portion of herbal medicine for the empress. In response, the empress and the second prince Jai (Jay Chou) plot a rebellion to overthrow the emperor on the Festival of the Chrysanthemum.
Fans of Zhang Yimou, who are familiar with his creative use of abundant colors, lights and settings are unlikely to be put off by The Curse Of The Golden Flower. In the contrary, this time it is even getting more excessive than as ever. Nothing is spared in order to overwhelm the audience completely with an overdose of magnificent scenes, gorgeous costumes, colorful and surreal settings. There is just one way to describe The Curse Of The Golden Flower, and that is in terms of megalomania: hordes of walk-ons, impressive palaces and beautiful sceneries. Salient details are the bare boobs of the maids that add extra spices to this already lavish movie.
Following the example of The Promise Zhang Yimou is also guilty of over-usage of CGI. In his obsession with visual dazzle, the sceneries and battles are spruced up by computer-animations turning the film needlessly into something artificial and clumsy.
The story is in no way in proportion to the pictures. The Curse Of The Golden Flower has a thin story line with an extremely predictable plot. The scene of the revolt within the imperial palace resembles to the The Emperor And The Assassin (1998) where storming rebels were ambushed and butchered by the palace guards. As about the illicit affair of the empress with the crown prince, where did we see this before? This was also a key element in Xiao Gangfeng’s The Banquet (2006). When it comes to originality, Zhang Yimou really did a bad job this time.
The great star Chow Yun-Fat seems to be too much constraint in his role as the old shrewd emperor. In none of the scenes is he able to show some of his great acting. Instead of being an almighty ruler, he rather looks like a silly old fool. Gong Li, however, manages to show a great dignity and beauty being the empress. The rest of the cast are rather shallow. So is the dramatic scene, when the maid Chan (Li Man) finds out that she has been in an incestuous affair with the crown prince, rather hilarious than tragic.
Admittedly, The Curse Of The Golden Flower is in terms of cinematography absolutely a masterpiece. In his enthusiasm, however, Zhang Yimou has overlooked an important thing: the story.
Yee Chuen Leung
Chief Editor
Yee Chuen Leung
Chief Editor
