yes well marital arts films are not usually my bag
but this one promises to have more emphasis on art
awarded best director prize at cannes so that a big plus
the opening titles providing some background china 9ad
a black and white introduction tells us of yinniang's skills
she exiled at a young age and schooled expertly in martial arts
she quickly and incisively despatching a target while on horseback
a 'nun' is her teacher and seen instructing her to return home to weibo
her mission to kill the governor of the province of worry to the emporer
weibo's military strength seen as a possible future threat to the royal court
colour then fills the screen with the chinese title in big bold red symbols
but what is most intriguing is that wide-screen it is not - square-screen
a deliberate strategy by the director to present scenes as though paintings
certainly the case in the opening scenes where we see beautiful vistas
horses and riders marching on tree-lined paths in mountainous valleys
the most verdant of greens contrasting with the colours of their silk
the lady in black (yinniang) somehow appears before the governor
he cradling his baby and just as we brace for an attack she is gone
so far so good - keeping up with the sub-titles and the simple plot
marvelling at the richness of it all - the costumes, the architecture
and the almost gloating approach to the stunning nature scenes
things then get a little confusing - another lady warrior appears
seen amongst large birch trees in a mask practicing her moves
the governor listens to his advisors but is petulant if crossed
one who provides unwanted advice is then to be despatched
to be taken to the far reaches of the province as punishment
even though the last one sent away captured and buried alive
thereby humiliating the governor - he does not want a repeat
yinniang advises her master of her failed assassination mission
she in turn saying her humanity gets in way of her matchless skills
as punishment she is then instructed to return and kill her own cousin
he once bethrothed to her but missing out when his mother intervened
seems it was better for the son to marry the sister of the emperor - ok
so death to the son of the promise-breaker - honour is at stake here
on her journey she encounters the exiled advisors guards under attack
he is about to be buried alive but she intervenes and saves the day
her cousin seen with a young family and a now pregnant concubine
a confrontation with yinniang and some martial arts on display briefly
but just when she has him she again backs off - she cannot do it
we then see her with the masked woman but refusing to engage
there's a grey-whiskered sorcerer working on some figurine cutouts
of which one is found with the pregnant concubine - why - not sure
but it leads to warriors bursting in and killing the sorcerer with arrows
and - finally - yinniang on a tall peak confessing her failure to her master
before returning to her friends in a simple village and a different lifestyle
ok - got it - female assassin has skills but her heart overrides everything
or something like that - after show review reading confirming matters
it's not about the confusing plot - it's all about the beauty of it all
scenery, costumes, lingering shots, attention to fine detail
a period piece about a distance place in a distant time
lovely it is - i can take it - shame about the martial arts fans...
