House of Flying Daggers [UMD] [UMD Universal Media Disc]

The film is set in pre-communist China when the weapon of choice remains the sword. At this time, the "establishment" is threatened by the House of Flying Daggers, an organization of outlaws ostensibly dedicated to robbing from the rich and giving to the poor - an Asiatic version of Robin Hood's Band of Merry Men. Two police officers, Jin (Takeshi Kaneshiro) and Leo (Andy Lau), discover one whom they suspect of being the blind daughter of the House's recently assassinated leader working as a dancer in a local brothel. Jin and Leo concoct an elaborate Good Cop-Bad Cop routine whereby the girl, Mei (Ziyi Zhang), is arrested, interrogated, threatened with torture, rescued, and returned safely to the House's hidden, rural base. Jin plays the role of the dashing rescuer while Leo follows the "fleeing" pair with troops. Mei being one hot babe, Leo warns Jin, a self-proclaimed Lothario, not to take his role too seriously.

The stunning countryside in which this film was photographed is presumably China. When, at one point, Mei and Jin are menaced by attackers vaulting through the topmost branches of an achingly green bamboo forest chucking spears, I thought, "This isn't Kansas." (I also thought, "With perfectly good ground to walk upon, why have they taken to the treetops?" But, that's the curmudgeon in me speaking.)

HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS is essentially an extravagant visual feast, with gorgeous costuming and seamlessly choreographed martial arts sequences, that could almost be appreciated without the English subtitles. Almost. However, a rudimentary plot remains, admittedly with some good twists, but which ends in a deadly duel between two combatants that so protractedly milked the scene for every last drop of cheap melodrama that my wife and I were reduced to snickers and a rolling of the eyes. So, four stars instead of five.


a lavish production   October 2, 2005
Mike Dickinson (Liverpool U.K.)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

I was unsure about this movie, especially when it was in some way compared to Crouching tiger hidden dragon which I found overly long and somewhat tedious. However, I was thoroughly entertained with House of flying daggers, sumptuous is a word I would use without hesitation, and the sets, costumes and plot were breathtaking. The plot keeps the viewer involved, with turns along the way which lead you to almost want to speed things up to see what happens next. The costumes in the opening scenes are just stunning, especially the heroine, who is herself such a delight to the sences. Buy this movie, and if you never see another film after this you can be satisfied and enjoy this delight time and time again.


Beware the falling bamboo leaves   May 1, 2005
Amanda Richards (ECD, Guyana)
14 out of 14 found this review helpful

The only similarity between this movie and "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", is the breathtaking choreography of the aerial combat amongst the bamboo trees. Indeed, the best sequences in "House of Flying Daggers" begin with some quietly and gracefully pirouetting bamboo leaves, falling dramatically towards the lush green forest floor.

Totally different from "Hero" plot wise, the vivid use of color, light and fabric ties the two together, bringing Chinese action movies to an artistic level never before seen on a big or small screen.

Ziyi Zhang as Mei, the blind bombshell, illuminates every frame she's in, proving her capability to carry a major movie on her slim shoulders. Her supporting male leads Takeshi Kaneshiro (Jin) and Andy Lau (Leo) have to work double time just to keep up.

Jin and Leo are Government officers, who are trying to track down the elusive underground rebel group of the title. They suspect that Mei, a blind call girl, can lead them to the rebels' hideout, and decide to use the age old plan of deception and seduction. Handsome ladies man Jin gets the plum assignment of gaining Mei's confidence, and from here, the movie turns unexpectedly into a tempestuous love story, the plot twisting this way and that under the power of love.

There are certainly less fight scenes than "Hero", the love scenes are awkward to say the least, and the movie slows considerably in places, but the combination of Ziyi Zhang, the scenic shots and the sword, bamboo and knife play make it an extremely worthwhile way to spend 119 minutes.

Amanda Richards