The Banquet (夜宴, Ye Yan)
Zhang Ziyi, Ge You, Daniel Wu, Zhou Xun
Dir: Feng Xiaogang – 2006 – China / Hong Kong
Loosely based on Shakespeare’s Hamlet, The Banquet tells the story of Emperor Li (Ge You) in the Tang dynasty in medieval China who has murdered his brother to ascend the throne and marries his sister-in-law, Wan (Zhang Ziyi). Meanwhile the Crown Prince (Daniel Wu) has chosen not to ascend the throne and become an actor instead only to expose Emperor Li as the murderer of his father. He was engaged to Qing (Zhou Xun), but is banished by the emperor as ambassador to a Western land. However, plots take place from all sides to assassinate the Emperor.
On the plus side, this is a gorgeously filmed movie. Thoroughly inspired by the likes of Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Hero and House of Flying Daggers before it, this film is composed with beautiful cinematography, gorgeous sets and amazing costumes. Not surprising then that Tim Yip won two Golden Horse Awards in 2006 for his efforts. It also has a good soundtrack by CTHD composer, Tan Dun, and action choreography from Yuen Woo Ping, of CTHD and The Matrix fame.
Add to it a talented cast, who all perform very well, it all should make a good movie.
Sadly, though, it doesn’t materialise as the story was, unusually, far too complicated. Too many twists made it difficult to keep up with the plot, even with the pace of the film being extremely slow. Disappointing as the film was beautiful both visually and aurally, but as a film, it just didn’t live up. I can see the performances on stage as a dance and would be well worth seeing at that, but it didn’t strike the mark as a motion picture. It just belongs in an art gallery.
The Banquet failed to be nominated for any of the major categories in the Golden Horse Awards and this was matched by the disappointment in the box office. However, it has earned a nomination by Hong Kong as its official foreign film entry in the Oscars in 2007, however, the chances of it even earning a full nomination are unlikely.
One disappointing end result.
Rating:
Link:
IMDb entry for The Banquet
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