The Assassin [DVD] [2016]

I was disappointed with this movie because, despite being a fan of both the director and the star, I felt it fell short in its attempt to be 'arty'. In my opinion, the story would have been more captivating if it had followed the traditional filming style of most wuxia movies. A film's direction and cinematography should enhance the story, but in this case, it seemed like the director's main focus was to create an 'arty' film, resulting in a secondary storyline that conformed to their vision rather than prioritizing the story itself.

I had high expectations for this film based on the positive reviews and its reception at Cannes, but I was ultimately disappointed. While some of the scenery is stunning, the overall film is confusing with scenes that jump around too much. The minimal martial arts scenes didn't bother me as I didn't buy it for that aspect, but I found myself constantly checking my watch to see when it would end. Additionally, I didn't like the 4:3 format which seemed like a waste considering the beautiful vistas in the film. Unless there's an artistic reason for shooting it that way that I'm not aware of, it felt unnecessary. Overall, I won't be watching this film again and will sell it. If you're interested in learning about how ordinary life was conducted in ancient far eastern countries, I recommend watching The Twilight Samurai instead - it's an interesting film on multiple levels.

Although this film has numerous stunning scenes, the overall experience was diminished by the low-quality print. After recently watching Red Cliff, Shadow, and Hero in their visually impressive forms, the contrast and my disappointment were even more pronounced. Nonetheless, the film itself is truly magnificent, especially with its ability to transport viewers back to the Tang period. It serves as proof that historical accuracy can be pursued without sacrificing cinematic appeal.