NoFace for Film

Title: 十面埋伏 (House of Flying Daggers)
Year: 2004
Director: Yimou Zhang
Starring Cast: Takeshi Kaneshiro, Andy Lau, Ziyi Zhang
Rated: PG-13

NoFace for Film rating: 5.5 out of 7

If anything can sum up House of Flying Daggers, it’s the notion that things are not always what they seem. Just when you think you’ve got the movie and the characters all figured out and you can predict what will happen next, they pull the rug right under you.

The story takes place in 859 AD, with the once mighty Tang Dynasty in shambles. Taking advantage of the weakened government, a number of revolutionary factions have formed, one of which is the House of Flying Daggers. Much like Robin Hood and his band of Merry Men, the Flying Daggers steal from the rich and give to the poor, thus earning the support and protection of the villagers.

Two captains of a local police station (Kaneshiro and Lau) have been ordered to kill the new leader of the Flying Daggers. The captains hear that a mysterious and beautiful blind dancer (Zhang) working at a brothel/dance hall has ties to the Flying Daggers and devise a plan to capture the Flying Daggers’ new leader.

Like Hero, House of Flying Daggers is a very beautiful film. I love the director’s use of rich colors in the characters’ costumes, especially since they’re often used to enhance their environment. There are stunning scenes where green robed people stand amidst an equally green bamboo forest. The effect is striking. Ziyi Zhang’s costumes are especially elaborate and beautiful, as she spends her time in the film clothed in sky blue, creamy pink, or vivid green. Kaneshiro’s costume isn’t too shabby either, as he’s dressed most of the time in a deep purple robe that stands out when he’s in a field of white flowers, or when he’s in a green bamboo forest.

Of course, there are also cool fight scenes that are more like a complex ballet rather than a battle. The characters jump, twirl, and fight each other in a beautiful but deadly dance. Yes, there is the supernatural element common in wuxia films: characters gracefully leap from treetop to treetop, as if they’re flying; they leap over each other’s heads with little effort.

As for the plot itself, as I mentioned earlier- it takes a very surprising turn 3/4ths in the film. Most of the time that I was watching it, I had certain expectations as to where the plot would lead. I thought that it was primarily an action film about a rebel group undermining the corrupt government when in fact it’s actually more of a love story. I’m not quite sure what to make of the ending. There is one scene in the snow involving Zhang that was downright laughable, and although the plot twist was interesting, it didn’t seem quite believable.

However, regardless of the plot twist and ending, I overall enjoyed House of Flying Daggers. Those not familiar with the wuxia genre and Chinese cinema in general may find some of the more supernatural elements during the fight scenes a little hokey, but others with a more open mind or who are familiar with similar films will thoroughly enjoy this film.