Shadow

There is a lot of set-up for the first hour or so but the imagery is always engaging even when it relies on obvious symbolism. Hard not to love those umbrella weapons.

The techniques for battle in this movie were unlike anything I've seen before. It was captivating. Definitely great visuals.

Some solid fights but kinda dumb

VisuLly dull therfore disappointing. Almost completely devoid of color, with exceptions being severely muted. The choice makes no sense since the lighting is shadowless, no pun intended. So, capitalization on the potential virtues of a gray scale for cinema. All falls flat with foreground, mid, and background without dimension. Every exterior is shot in pouring rain to no discernible purpose. The story is uninspiring and the rendering of on screen is painfully slow. Needless repetitios shots to over-tell the action. The hero is conflicted but not heroically so. The acting by the hero and his mentor is overwrought rather quiet and dignified. Nothing to see here; give this one a pass.

Stylish and unpredictable. Pure joy to watch.

This one required another go 'round to grasp more fully what was happening with the dual characters of Commander/Jing, the shifting presences of Madam and Princess, and just much of the first half of the film. This part is largely setup and very slowly paced machinations and dialogue that will set the framework for the second half of the film. "Shadow" is a film built largely on dualism, as the protagonist is two characters played by the same character; one deeply embroiled in the political and military maneuvering of the day, and one a meer commoner 'shadow' of the other. The structure is built around two roughly equal parts, with the first half a complex political drama and the second half a wuxia action movie. I still struggle with the acting in the more period piece, wuxia/xinxia Asian movies. I find find the acting often contrived and over the top, and I believe if Western films had acting of this manner that critics would lay into them for it. Maybe this is too ethnocentric of me, but it's honest; it takes me out of the world of the movie to some degree. The laughing of the king (and Lu Yan), is supposed to show him as a spoiled, egocentric (even sociopathic, maybe) figure who is untouchable, but instead seems forced and fake. But more than anything else, even more than the fantastic action/fight sequences, this is a beautiful film to look at. It was shot in digital color but it's almost all hues of black, white, and gray, with the one glaring exception being human flesh and blood. The sets, costumes, weaponry and natural scenery are all varying shades (or shadows) of black and white, with even the riverbank apparently desaturated. So give this one a second try if it was overly confusing, frustrating, or the first half poorly paced for you. I believe it will be a noticeably improved experience the second time around. 3.8 stars

This film is perhaps a little slow to get started but once the plot pace builds, its really something. It does well at giving an insight into the culture of the time (AD 220-280). The cinematography is quite impressive - with black, white and silver being the main colours visible throughout. There is certainly a strong grittiness to it, lots of bloody violence and some potential jump scares. Its very atmospheric and tense. I liked the scenes depicting characters playing stringed instruments - the sound of it highlighting a sense of fragility in an otherwise seemingly cold and brutal setting. The dialogue is quite good - its relatively thought provoking. There are some interesting gadgets used, a bit like those featured in James Bond films, although obviously this is no modern day Hollywood spy film. Overall I respect this film as a brutal and insightful, thought provoking watch that may stay with you for some time, so yes, I'd recommend it.

Wuxia film legend Zhang Yimou takes inspiration from the city of Seattle for Shadow - it's always raining, and everything's gray. With it's penchant for speeches, egomaniacal characters, and deadly political intrigues, Shadow is sort of like action Shakespeare. However, the director is clearly more adept at his action choreography than his screenplay design; the action setpieces and even the weaponry are inventive, well-shot, and compelling, but the story seems to end up too convoluted for its own good, concluding with a series of betrayals that seem largely unnecessary (much of the film's central device, regarding truth vs. presented narrative, could be served much more cleanly with a straightforward ending). Some of the plot even seems slightly recycled from Zhang's earlier project Hero, which also uses a period setting, royal intrigue, and a series of deceptive warriors as key components of its plot. Overall, a decent film. There seems to be a much more in-depth plot regarding Deng Chao's titular 'shadow', including commentaries on identity and inner turmoil that were only hinted at, but they were largely sacrificed for more choreography and smirking Machiavellian plotlines. Good choreography, but still. (3/5)

this is yet another example of a good chinese movie, not to cheesy or over the top stunts, a few twists and turns which to a certain extent are par for the course when you have watched a lot of films over the years, but a worthwhile watch..

There is a lot of set-up for the first hour or so but the imagery is always engaging even when it relies on obvious symbolism. Hard not to love those umbrella weapons.