Wonderful exploration of issues -- pity about the translation!

Rating: 7/10 (16 January 2003)

First things first -- while I enjoyed the movie tremendously with its alternative take on the concept of the Hero with its various possibilities played out through the different scenarios, I was also horribly annoyed by the gratuitous display of flying / floating figures in the film. It's time we moved on from Crouching Tiger!
On the subject on the concept of the Hero, I wouldn't attach any political reading to the narrative of this movie though. What this movie really illustrates, perhaps, is that what heroism is really about is making a choice, being true to your beliefs, and taking your beliefs with you right to the very limit. This is perhaps what makes the rather unique genre of wuxia films rather universal in this regard.
This being a 'Chinese' movie with a rather unique cultural setting, it is perhaps understandable that certain aspects of Zhang Yimou's filmmaking have been 'hidden' in cultural barriers...
*caution: rather unfamiliar cultural references to be made next*
One example of this is the motif of the wind. While this is more visible visually then as a metaphor, it did not help that 'all hail! all hail! all hail!' was chosen as the translation for 'feng' (i.e. the Chinese noun for wind). However, this reference may also be taken as an allusion to the Chinese 'feng chen', which may be loosely translated as 'happenings in the world around us'.
Many other instances of culturally obsolete constructions abound. Unfortunately there may not be a better translation ever, or a 'Chinese Culture 101' guide handy when you watch a film. Kinda sad that an intelligent film is lost to a large audience this way.