Love this film feast for the eyes and epic story
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
If you like the great epic Chinese films, then this is another one for you. Beautiful, colourful settings and costumes.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
bought as christmas present for daughter in law, havent played it myself xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
On the eve of the Chong Yang Festival, golden chrysanthemum flowers fill the Imperial Palace. The Emperor (Chow Yun-fat) returns from his various military campaigns with his second son and general, Prince Jai (Jay Chou). The Emperor has returned to celebrate the holiday with his family. For three years, the Empress and Crown Prince Wan (Liu Ye), her stepson, have had an illicit affair. Prince Wan secretly dreams of escaping the palace with his secret lover Jiang Chan (Li Man), the Imperial Doctor's daughter. Meanwhile, Prince Jai, the faithful son, grows curious and then worried over the Empress's health and her abnormal obsession with golden chrysanthemums. For ten days, the Emperor had ordered the Imperial Doctor (Jiang Yiru) and his daughter Jiang Chan to secretly add tiny amounts of a poisonous Persian black fungus into the medicine that the Empress takes several times a day. The Empress summons Prince Jai, revealing to him her plot of rebellion. She asks for his participation but Jai hesitates, saying that it would be difficult for him to take up arms against his own father. After seeing his mother take a poisoned dose, he relents and agrees to participate. A woman-in-black is captured by Prince Wan and taken to the Emperor, and it is revealed that she was Jiang Shi (Chen Jin), Jiang Yiru's wife, Jiang Chan's mother, and also the Emperor's previous lover. The Emperor promotes the doctor, sending him from the Palace to serve as governor of a remote area. Prince Wan runs after them to see Chan. From the information that Chan provides him with, he senses that the Empress is plotting something, so he hurries back to the palace and confronts her. The Empress, already losing her mind, bluntly claims that she just wants Wan to die and continue with her plan. Wan, in a panic, stabs himself and is put under care. The doctor's family are attacked by mysterious assassins-in-black who kill Jiang Yiru. Chan and her mother are forced back to the palace. When they return the Empress reveals that Jiang Shi was actually the mother of Prince Wan, meaning his secret lover, Chan, is in fact his half-sister. Realizing this, a shocked and crazed Chan flees the palace screaming in horror with her mother chasing behind. Both are killed by the assassins-in-black. Prince Yu abruptly kills Prince Wan and attempts to oblige the Emperor to abdicate the throne to him. He confesses that he also learned of the plot and his brother's affair with the Empress and acted in advance to gain the throne. The Emperor's assassins-in-black eliminate Prince Yu's tiny rebel force easily, and the Emperor beats Yu to death. Thousands of golden armored warriors led by Prince Jai and wearing the embroidered flowers of the Empress charge the palace. As they charge forward, the Emperor's personal assassins attempt to stop them. Although Prince Jai's men take various casualties, they manage to beat the assassins and move forward. As the golden-armored army marches into the imperial square, they are boxed in by a clever trap. It is clear that the Emperor had full knowledge of the plot and had quietly moved a large army into the palace. From their superior position they are able to cut down the rebels with a massive hail of arrows. The Prince continues to fight but eventually surrenders. The survivors of the golden army are gathered, bound and executed on the Emperor's orders.Read full review
What a Great film, Full of action, which you would expect from CHOW YUN FAT, but this film is also full of Beauty, culture and intregue. The beauty comes from the leading lady, (GONG LI), who plays the second wife of the Emperor, Mother to some of his Children. However, the Emperor is poisoning his second wife and she knows it, but whilst the Emperor is away , the Emperess will play , with the eldest son, Her stepson , whilst also plotting a coup to over throw the Emperor. But , Stepson is in love with the girl in the village, daughter to the Emperors first wife, ( his own mum, whom he beleives to be dead). This just adds to the plot and reason. This is a film about war and trust and a family in the midst of cataclism. This film twists and whineds its way to a brilliant conclussion and ultimate distruction of a Family, a Monercy and a Dynesty.Read full review
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