not exactly my cup of tea

Rating: 6/10 (13 August 2005)

I like Asian movies--especially Samurai movies. However, this movie and others like it (such as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) are NOT exactly my cup of tea. Although the MOST famous aspects of these movies are the matrix-like fight scenes, I can't stand them and think that they really detract from the overall pacing and focus of the film. In other words, if you took away the flying through midair and dancing on the surface of the water scenes, the movie would have scored at least an 8 or maybe a 9 with me. I'm sure that puts me in a distinct minority, but I sure would have enjoyed this movie more if it had stayed with a much more realistic portrayal of the Qin dynasty. If this silly and over-the-top style continues in movies, what's next--lasers and space ships in 5th century BC China?!