The Legend of the Black Scorpion
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Movie Reviews of The Legend of the Black Scorpion
Movie Review: Add this to the list of good Asian "art house" cinema!
Summary: 5 Stars
Well, I seem to have developed a taste for Asian "art house" type movies, especially martial arts epics with great choreographed fight sequences, vivid colors, interesting storylines.
I've previously seen and enjoyed such fare as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Curse of the Golden Flower, The Forbidden Kingdom, Hero, House of Flying Daggers, Iron Monkey. Each of them has its strengths and weaknesses.
Getting back to Legend of the Black Scorpion, from my understanding, it's a Chinese martial arts retelling of Shakespeare's play Hamlet. While I don't think I've seen or read Hamlet, I don't think it's essential to have previously read it or seen it to understand what's going on here.
Similar in theme to Curse of the Golden Flower, Legend of the Black Scorpion is a martial arts / drama piece about Chinese dynastic royalty and empire. Though it mainly focuses on the family / political dynamics of the royal court, with various plots to seize power, etc.
A number of the fight scenes have an almost ballet-like quality about them. They're often more like a well-choreographed dance than a battle per se. It makes sense, insofar as there is also a sub-plot about the crown prince taking up the arts of Chinese song and dance.
Now, one thing that I noted was the overemphasis on blood in this film. it spurts, it gushes, it drips everywhere. There seems to be a special focus on showing the blood itself, sometimes in slow motion. I thought it was excessive, and I'm not sure why so much attention was paid to emphasizing blood and bloodiness in this film.
The blood issue was minor to me, as I'm more-or-less desensitized to it at this point. Overall, I really liked this movie though (outside of the blood and brutality of some scenes). I thought the sets and costuming were colorful and first rate. The choreography was great. Etc. I think it makes a good addition to the other "art house" type movies listed above.
I'd certainly take this movie over Butterfly Sword or Warriors of Heaven and Earth (neither of which I particularly cared for, despite decent reviews on Amazon and/or DVD Empire).
Addendum (8-12-08): Apparently this film was originally titled "The Banquet." So, if you've seen that one, this is the same movie from what I understand.
Again, rather bloody at times, but otherwise pretty gorgeous cinematography. Right up there with some of the other good "art house" cinema.
Movie Review: Good stuff
Summary: 5 Stars
I have gotten slightly addicted to asian films since watching the AZN Channel (which, sadly, is no more) so I picked up some films from Amazon. This was one of them and I was very impressed by it. Visually it's stunning, the sub-titles are easy to follow. I highly recommend it.Movie Review: On Par With The Best of Yimou Zhang
Summary: 4 Stars
How this film missed the American theater circuits is inexplicable! One of the most visually sumptuous portrayals of court life and intrigue since Bertolucci's The Last Emperor, and on par, if not surpassing, the historical martial arts epics of Yimou Zhang. This is a must for anyone that enjoys or appreciates this genre of Chinese cinema, and is the best cinematic adaptation of Hamlet that I can recall. It also is accompanied by an excellent critical commentary (which may aid those who find the film "cold" or the ending incomprehensible).Movie Review: Phenomenal Blend of Scenery and Style
Summary: 3 Stars
The Legend of Black Scorpion is a phenomenal blend of scenery and style as the director uses operatic appeal in the form of the metaphorical phantom to stylize the sequential and breath-taking coreographic kung fu, especially as exemplified in the hide-away forests where the endangered and practically deposed crown-prince drowns in his sorrow, overwhelmed by the injustice of his uncle, the murderous usurper of the throne.
While this is the most fantastic scene, the flow is maintained to a great degree throughout the film. HOWEVER, a great disappointment like many previous kung fu movies, for example, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Jet Li's "Hero" and House of Flying Daggers, and not to mention Curse of the Golden Flower. Somehow, Shakespearean endings do not suit these martial arts. Eastern Philosophy is characterized by some forms of exquisite closure and transcendence, and these movies have none. Moreover, the kung fu was not enough. The movie gave a blast of unparalleled kung fu in the fighting scene at the prince's hide-away and from there took a down-hill turn into just drama. We watch these because we love to see a man being "kung-fu-ed" to death, not to see a woman killed by a sword or knife protruding from nowhere and no one. These directors need to snap out of the Shakespeareanism, be true to Eastern tradition in martial arts and give us closure and stop with the romance. SOMEHOW, romance always absolutely spoils a martial arts film. There are no really great martial arts films being produced today and the lack of closure without a sequel is incomplete artistry that detracts of satisfaction.
Legend of Black Scorpion has good scenery, costumes, and initial choreography, but faded into a drama with a disappointing ending.
Movie Review: I WRONGLY WHINED TO AMAZON ABOUT THIS RE-ISSUE, SORRY AMAZON...
Summary: 5 Stars
I was irked that this retitled reissue of THE BANQUET wasn't identified
as such. Obviously, I had THE BANQUET already. But this reissue has a radically superior print and audio and very, very well-done subtitles.
It's really an Asian retelling of Hamlet. But an adaptation so slick and well-done, it's like a whole new story. The concept of combining dance with swordplay with an extraordinary musical track really comes across with this improved version.
The second disk of added features doesn't add much,
just the usual self-back-patting face-on spiels.
And humorously, so deadly serious.
The less-than heavy characterizations comment of other reviewers noted is true. But the graphics alone are worth the trip. Costumes, scenery and set designs are magnificent.
( But I still think that Amazing Amazon should PROMINENTLY
note that such repackaged/retitled films are not re-make's...)