House of Flying Daggers DVD: Review By Dodd

It is nice to see America being more open-minded and embracing international flavors. Ever since the success of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, the Asian martial arts film has been making a splash in the United States. Whether it is the wire-fu magic of films such as Crouching Tiger, or the influences that brought us the ultra-hip, ultra-gory Kill Bill volumes, the Asian genre is certainly making an impression at the box office and at prestigious award ceremonies.

Continuing the trend of popular martial arts films is House of Flying Daggers. In a setting that is clearly a long time ago, yet in mythical locations, this is a picture that takes advantage of art direction. From start to finish, I couldn't tell if I was in a movie theater or strolling through an art gallery. The picture is technically martial arts hence the occasional fighting, but Daggers does something that American action films fail, or even try, to achieve. Instead of packing the usual adrenaline rush with high octane explosions and beautiful ladies, House of Flying Daggers entrances the audience. You better believe that every scene, even the fight scenes, will make people stare in a state of awe and relaxation.

The picture does not waste time and captures our interest in the very beginning. An undercover cop named Jin (Takeshi Kaneshiro) infiltrates a local brothel to find a spy from the notorious House of Flying Daggers. This is a renegade group bent on resisting common law. Jin's target is a beautiful, but deadly, woman named Mei (Zhang Ziyi) who is posing as a prostitute. When the cops move in to nab Mei, one of the films most astonishing scenes is presented. A cop named Leo (Andy Lau) challenges Mei to a round of The Echo Game. Being that this is so visually enriching, I won't go into great detail explaining the scene, except that it makes the electronic game Copycat look so much simpler.

Going on another undercover mission, Jin stages a prison break and frees Mei from her captivity. The plan: Jin is to pose as Mei's trustful aid in escape, while the police follow close behind hoping the warrior woman will lead them to the Flying Daggers headquarters. What Jin (or the police) doesn't bank on is falling in love with the mysterious Mei. As they journey along through fields and forests, Jin goes through an inner struggle of whether or not he should be stabbing this delicate flower in the back.

The two travelers do indeed arrive at the House of Flying Daggers, and that is where my description must stop. I will say that plot twists ensue and there is still plenty more eye candy for us to feast upon.

Director Zhang Yimou has unleashed two of his films on American mainstream audiences this year. The other project being Hero, which was nominated for the Oscar for Best Foreign Film some years back. I saw both pictures in the theater and can say they are both equally stunning in the visual department. The main difference is that Hero aims at freeing the mind, while House of Flying Daggers aims to free the heart and the mind. Daggers has the same type of fight sequences set in visual landscapes, the most memorable being in a bamboo field. However, the film does not aim just to "wow" the audience. A deep love story unfolds between Mei and Jin, which eventually evolves into a complex love triangle. With every kick and punch, we also empathize with the characters through moments of devotion and heartbreak.

As for the performances, the men in the film make great supporting players, but the real deal here is Zhany Ziyi. Just as she does in her previous films, the actress glows in beauty and danger. In other words, she is the type of girl that men want to kiss at first until she kicks them in the face. With her notable appearances in Eastern fare (Crouching Tiger, Hero), to her debut in America (Rush Hour 2), Ziyi is one of the more promising talents for the new wave of films to come. Let's just hope she doesn't sell out.

The special feature department is not loaded, but still plentiful. There is a rather lengthy making of featurette that covers filming the pictures elaborate fight scenes and dance sequences, to the promotion of the picture, which includes its debut at Cannes.

What I found even more intriguing is a brief montage of scenes that demonstrate visual effects in the film. As effects play a key part in making the film beautiful, I found this to be a little more eye-catching.

As well there is a commentary track by director Zhang Yimou and the babelicious starlet herself Zhang Ziyi. These two have very fine eyes for detail throughout the film and throw out interesting facts.

Additional materials include storyboard comparisons, photo galleries, a music video, and previews.

Anamorphic Widescreen. Anyone that thinks the look of this film is weak has to be sick in the head. Even if one does not appreciate the storyline, or thinks wire-fu is silly, there is no denying that the picture quality and direction is superb beyond words.

5.1 Dolby Digital Surround, Chinese with English subtitles. As well, the sound of the picture prevails. Have a surround system? Then put all speakers in gear for these explosive fight scenes. You will swear that an arrow almost impaled you.

Standard DVD keep case. The stars of the film are pictured on the cover along with a shot of the bamboo field fight scene.

Why are you still reading this review? Go rent this movie! House of Flying Daggers did not make much of an impression on me when I saw it in theaters, but after a second time of being captivated by the well-staged action and heartfelt love story, the movie has gone up a notch in my rating system. With a healthy portion of special features to boot, I would say this is worth a purchase for fans of the genre. If you are a "martial arts virgin", you know this calls for a safety rental. However, I recommend this film all the way.

Questions? Comments? Drop me a line at dodd@movieweb.com