I have my message headed with a WARNING because I don't want any readers to be misled and go rushing for this movie thinking it's like anyone of those Chinese Wuxia movies. This is not an action based movie, it only has "sword fighting" world as a background. This is what always made WKW's films different from any others'. This film has probably the least action scenes compared to any other sword fighting films made within the last 15 years.
I called it Timeless because seen again today, you don't find it outdated like some others' films. This is among the only 4 Chinese films that I will enjoy watching again every 2 or 3 years and I think this is the most "timeless" among the 4.(The other 3 are Love Eterne(Li Han Hsiang), A Touch of Zen(King Hu) and Days of Being Wild(WKW))
This is the kind of film that you know it's great even if you don't understand it. You don't need to understand its story in order to enjoy it. It's message is simply about "memories" and "regrets". It said something like "Regrets is the most painful feeling" and "regrets and unhappiness because of memories".It's the most complicated among WKW's 7 or 8 films(till 2046 and Eros). I don't fully understand it during the first viewing but I was totally surprised and mesmerized. I am the type that will consider a film good only if after watching, surprised me and felt that i could not thought of such a film. If I can expect or imagine a film's outcome, I will not call it great. Even after 4 viewings now, I am not totally sure I have figured out all its sequences yet but it doesn't matter. Some of the scenes and editions are paced so fast that you may not recall seeing it. Just like his recent 2046. This is the work of a brilliant director,because you need more than 1 viewing to fully get it so you must buy a copy for future viewing. Heard that even the Venice Filmfest Jury has to give it a prize although they don't understand what's it about.
Those who don't know how to appreciate a good film may not understand a WKW film as he seldom stick to a particular genre, his films' genre is simply WKW and it's all about sights and sound in WKW-style. Original, stylish and trend setting. After his Ashes of Time and Fallen Angels swept all the major awards during the HK Film Awards in the same year, 2 most prominent HK directors changed style and tried to follow WKW-style but both failed(Tsui Hark in Dao(Blade) and Stanley Kwan in Hold Me Tight.
WKW has mentioned that movies, to him is most is sights and sound and we see it clearly in this film. The music and the cinematography is the best.
Those who don't like WKW films may criticize that he don't has a script or don't know what he wants until the final edition. I totally disagree. I think WKW always know what he wants and completed the film just the way he wants it, otherwise how could all his films are being so well received by critics ?. As for the viewers, what we want is the finished work. We don't care the original idea or the casts. We only care for the outcome. I mentioned it because this film took 2 years to complete and along the way, plot and actors have changed.
Leslie Cheung - nominated for best acting here but I find him better in 2 other WKW films, Days of Being Wild and Happy Together(WKW won best director at Cannes). Brigitte Lin is superb in a dual character role/s. Tony Leung and Carina Lau are always good(usually and only) in WKW films. Maggie Cheung(unbilled) has her best 2 single take shots(her fans must keep this.) Even pop idol Michelle Yeung who never act well appeared like she acted.
I strongly recommend this film to any film student or critics. Those who like "2046" or Tsui Hark's The Blade will like it. This is not WKW's best but I consider it his most UNIQUE. Like any other WKW movies, it's a collectors' item and a future classic, if not already one.
