"House of Flying Daggers"
2004
Directed by Zhang Yimou

Zhang Yimou's second consecutive martial arts drama blends sumptuous sets and balletic action sequences into a stunning and kinetic whole. Set in 859 AD, the film follows a pair of lawmen (Andy Lau and Takeshi Kaneshiro) as they attempt to uncover a revolutionary faction called the Flying Daggers. The captains enlist the help of a beautiful dancer (Zhang Ziyi) whose father is a member of the faction, and she agrees to help after falling deeply in love with one of her protectors. The story is ultimately secondary to the stunning visuals, which burst forth with startling energy. As he proved with Hero and again with this film, "Zhang could not shoot an unbeautiful scene if he tried" (Anthony Lane, The New Yorker). In Mandarin with English subtitles.  119 minutes.