Rating: PG13
Genre:
Drama
Theatrical Release: 12/03/2004(USA
Release Date: 04/19/2005
SubTitles: English
Dubbed: English/French
Sound: 2
Run Time: 119 Minutes
Flags: Violence, Sexual Situations
Distributor/Studio: Columbia TriStar
Chinese director
Zhang Yimou fuses a
martial arts action-
drama with a tragic
romance in this elegant
period piece. In the year 859 A.D., as the Tang dynasty is beset by rebellion,
Leo (
Andy Lau) and
Jin (
Takeshi Kaneshiro) are a pair of lawmen who have been given the task of ferreting out the leaders of a revolutionary faction known as the Flying Daggers. Working on a tip that members of the group are working out of a brothel called the Peony Pavilion,
Jin arrives there in disguise and is introduced to a beautiful blind dancer named
Mei (
Zhang Ziyi). After watching
Mei's performance following several drinks,
Jin drunkenly attempts to have his way with her, and
Leo is forced to intervene. After gaining
Mei's trust in a game of skill,
Leo arrests her and informs her that she'll be tortured if she doesn't tell all she knows about the Flying Daggers.
Jin responds by helping
Mei break out of prison, but he has an ulterior motive -- by following her,
Leo and
Jin are certain she'll lead them to the Flying Daggers. However, as he helps the blind girl find her way back home,
Jin finds himself falling in love with
Mei, and isn't certain if he's willing to betray her again.
~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
;)
