Not your average Chop Socky Movie

Rating: Null/10 (15 February 2001)

Okay, I had expectations when I went to see this movie. I was expecting a big budget Bruce Lee type epic crossed with some John Woo effects. I took my oldest kid who is 14 and off we went.I figured, no matter what, Chow Yun Fat was worth the price of admission.
Well, I figured wrong. It is not big budget Enter the Dragon, and Jackie Chan would fit into this film about as well as woody allen.
It is a gorgeous, slllowww movvingg art film. Did I mention it is slow moving? Really, really slow moving? Well, maybe not that bad, but slow. By the end of the second hour, my son and I were both regretting the big cokes we had drank about an hour before, and it was getting kind of tiresome to read subtitles that did not seem to match the lip movements too well.
When we left the theatre, we were feeling less than thrilled with the whole experience. But then, a funny thing happened. I kept thinking about what I had seen, like a half remembered dream.
This movie is one of those that sticks in your head and percolates. You remember the scenes, and unlike the usual "car chase blowed 'em up real good" crap that is most action movies to be consumed like popcorn, this one had you thinking about the images and the ideas. The flying effects are amazing, and the cinematography is gorgeous. The sets are unbelievable. They make star wars look like cheap plywood "B" movie stuff.
I am definitely going to have another go at it when it comes out on DVD. Next time, I will enjoy it for the art film it really is.
Highly recommended. But have a small coke.