Kudos to Zhang Ziyi

Rating: Null/10 (11 December 2002)

I saw this film for the first time a year and a half ago and I have to say that I didn't like it. I found it over-complicated and over-directed although the fight scenes, the photography and the music were beautiful. Anyway I thought it was overrated in many aspects. When the HBO started to air it about two months ago I didn't care about it. Then everything has changed. Last week a saw Zhang Yimou's wonderful movie 'The Road Home' (1999) and I saw Zhang Ziyi, a beautiful young and talented Chinese actress in it. I decided to find out more about her and I saw that she played in this movie, too. Then I decided to check this movie again. And this time it lived up to my expectations. Zhang Ziyi, playing Xiou Long, is extraordinary and steals the show. She has the chance to follow Gong Li on her throne as the 'Queen of the Chinese cinema'. As I said the photography and the music were all superb but I still think it is slow and over-complicated at times. But there are much more for this movie than against it. In conclusion I would say that there are movies which are better at the second time and one has to find its hidden values. I would recommend it for the lovers of the Asian cinema along with 'The Road Home'.