The Pen is Mightier than the Sword!

Rating: Null/10 (11 September 2004)

The biggest names in Asian cinema have joined together to make this visually stunning film about revenge, love, and unity. Jet Li is Nameless, a commoner that has taught himself the power of the sword in a short span of ten years. He takes his ability and confronts three assassins that have tried to bring down the Kingdom of Qin. After these battles, he brings their swords to the King of Qin who rewards Nameless with the opportunity to sit ten feet from him and enjoy a drink. It is at this time that a second story is presented and a completely new 'hero' now sits before the King. As control bounces back and forth, it becomes apparent that these two men are the pivotal figures of a new unified country where violence is not a means to an end.
Stunning. Beautiful. Dazzling. Jaw-dropping. Enticing. Emotional. These are just a couple of words that describe this visual masterpiece. It is one of those rare films that demonstrate the beauty of the sword instead of horror that it creates. As our characters whisk through the air with the weight of a feather and the power of an elephant, we are pulled into this mythically real world full of emotion and pride. We are taught that battles are not just fought for the sole purpose of killing, but rather to help eliminate injustices that have been caused. I especially loved the way that director Yimou Zhang uses music and calligraphy to show that the power of the sword comes from more than just strength. He explains through two stories that you must have a balance between you and the outside elements to master the power of the steel. Zhang then takes the music and calligraphy to the next level. Throughout this film we are shown the spirit of calligraphy while being entranced by the score of the film. It is apparent that Zhang wanted to give us more than just an action film, but also a story about his culture and world.
The only trouble that I have with this film was that it was too beautiful. I find that sometimes directors get so caught up with the power of all the colors and camera work that the story sometimes gets lost or shattered in the process. This is what I think happened with this film. I loved the cinematography, but somehow couldn't get excited about the story. There were questions that I needed answered (i.e. what is Moon's true feelings for Broken Sword?) and characters that I wanted to see better developed (ie Sky). I needed to counter with a powerful story that would keep me on the edge of my seat. This was not the case with this movie. I continually thought to myself this question, 'If the amazing fight sequences were removed, would you have been captivated by the story?' My answer is 'no'. There wasn't a strong enough balance of the two to make this film powerful, instead it just allowed my eyes to enjoy a 96 minute long piece of candy.
Grade: *** out of ****