The Banquet

Another Chinese commercial flick targeted at golden Oscar. A Chinese "Hemlet", more than just Chinese Kong Fu. Right at its birth, it was doomed to be compared, by the picky audiences and mass media, with Crouching Tiger and Hidden Dragon, Hero and House of Flying Daggers, which were all directed by Chinese big shots. Despite all the differences in background, expenditure, and influences, there is one thing in common, Ziyi Zhang in ancient Chinese costumes picturing us Chinese Kong Fu. Coincidence? Absolutely not. It's just that Ziyi Zhang is one of the few Chinese names that could make these western audiences voluntarily buy tickets.

Back to the movie itself. As I see it, it's pretty good. Comprehensible scenario, splendor scences and fabulous attires. And most importantly, the theme the director attempts to convey to audiences--craving for power. To seize the supreme power, everyone, from the emperor and empress to government officials, all have their way: usurpation, machination, betrayal, retalliation, propitiation, etc. It doesn't matter who kills the Empress in the end, actually, it has already aroused quite a lot of public disputation. A lust, a desperate lust for power stabs her on the back. Any one has this lust could be the murderer. In this sense, The Banquet has revealed a profound theme and ended a perfect conclusion. And by the way, I like the theme song, it's hard to describe my feelings but I do like it.