House of Flying Daggers (Shi mian mai fu) poster & wallpaper
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Takeshi Kaneshiro, Ziyi Zhang, Andy Lau, Song Dandan, Anita Mui ... see more see more... , Dandan Song

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 J... read more read more...in (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, Rovi

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81% liked it

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Critics

88% liked it

164 critics

PG-13, 1 hr. 59 min.

Directed by: Yimou Zhang, Andy Lau, Anita Mui, Dandan Song, Song Dandan, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Ziyi Zhang

Release Date: December 3, 2004

Keywords: action, stunning, arts, gorgeous

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DVD Release Date: March 29, 2005

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Stats: 10,316 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (10,316)

  • brooklynspo
    October 24, 2007
    brooklynspo
    really pretty crappy, I thought
  • garyX
    November 30, 2011
    garyX
    A provincial guardsman goes undercover and breaks a blind swordswoman out of prison to discover the location of a secret society of rebellious assassins. Zhang Yimou's follow up to Hero is a similarly stunning combination of artistic visuals and beautifully choreographed martial ... read morearts, but this time he throws an epic story of unrequited love into the mix. The story's format is another favourite of Chinese cinema, that of the undercover cop with divided loyalties, but blended with mythical fantasy and star crossed lovers it plays out almost like The Departed crossed with Romeo And Juliet. This makes for a more complex character dynamic than that of Hero and therefore a more engaging story, although it does suffer similarly to the previous film in that it can feel like the plot is just a series of excuses for yet another visually glorious set piece. For that reason Zhang is probably once again guilty of style over substance, but what style it is.
  • fb1216165431
    September 10, 2011
    fb1216165431
    House Of Flying Daggers is an exquisite and pleasant barrage of colors, music, martial arts, history, and culture underlined by romance and mystery. Creative fight choreography. Splendid photography. Artful cinematography.
  • lewiskendell
    August 30, 2011
    lewiskendell
    "If we meet again, one of us will have to die."

    More than 1000 years ago, an outlaw band called the Flying Daggers terrorizes the weak and ineffective imperial government of China, while earning the love of the public by taking from the rich and giving to the poor. When their le... read moreader is assassinated, another mysterious figure rises to take his place. Two police captains focus on a blind dancer suspected of being a member of the Flying Daggers as a key to finding the new leader they've been ordered to kill, but plots within plots and uncontrollable hearts make the scenario much more complicated than all involved would have expected.

    It's impossible not to compare House of Flying Daggers to Hero and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Not only because all three are excellent wuxia movies that were released in a relatively close time frame to each other, but also because they share cast (Zhang Ziyi stars in all three) and striking use of color as both a storytelling device and for aesthetic beauty (courtesy of Zhang Yimou, who directed both Daggers and Hero).

    And I place House of Flying Daggers firmly in the same class of quality as those two other movies I previously mentioned. It's not quite as stunningly gorgeous and technically impressive as Hero (though it's still a visual treat to watch), and neither is it an even match for the breathtaking martial arts sequences and superior acting of Crouching Tiger (though once again, it comes mighty close). Where House of Flying Daggers absolutely shines is when it comes to making you care about the characters and buy into the emotion of the plot. What sets Daggers apart is that it's as much of a love story (and a complicated one, at that) as it is a martial arts film, and it blends those two aspects together very well. I don't use the word "stirring" very often, but here, it fits.

    House of Flying Daggers also has some truly memorable action scenes, including a spectacularly acrobatic fight amongst a bamboo forest, and a beautifully unique sequence called "The Echo Game", which has stuck with me ever since I saw it in the theater several years ago. This is the kind of movie that only improves with subsequent viewings, and I've come to like it more and more over the years.

    Martial arts dramas, and dramas in general, don't get much better than this. There's a lot more here than just the thrill of a good fight scene (though those are certainly included). Style and substance, what's not to like? I completely recommend it.
  • fb535316333
    May 31, 2011
    fb535316333
    3/4 through the movie and the plot considerably thickens into a Shakespearean romance without so much as a foreshadow. There's so little happening before that other than contrive romance you really have to try and appreciate the action/visuals.

    Which was hard, what with the exc... read moreess use of terrible CGI littered over every action scene possible, but the color palettes and cinematography more than often makes up for it.

    This film would have benefit a lot more if Lau's character was given further exploration to justify his feelings towards Mei or reinforce his friendship with Jin. It just felt their love triangle needed to play bigger roles in the grand scheme of things, another layer to stage their romance if you will.

    Also, all this talk about the "stunning" visuals is starting to grind my gears. It feels like critics are just freaking out because it's oriental. Eesh.
  • cosmo313
    May 18, 2011
    cosmo313
    These modern Wuxia films of the last few yeas have really been something. They're a great mix of art, gorgeous visuals, great choreography, really good story telling, and some unbelievable costumes, art direction, and set design. They're also dripping with craft and tap into cult... read moreural history and folklore, so that's cool too.

    Since Yimou Zhang directed both this and Hero, it's okay to get them confused. Both are really good, and, even though msot thought Hero was a masterpiece, I didn't quite think that way. It was really good, but not great. With this film though, I think I liked it just a tad bit more, so I'll give it a very high B+ that almost could be an A-.

    I'm doing this because I found the story stronger and easier to follow, and, even though I really dig artsiness, whimsy, and think that wire work is cool, I like all thsoe things better when they're toned down, as they are here. All of that stuff can only work for you so much if you're story isn't as strong. With this film, the story is really good, and it reminded me a lot of stuff liek The Departed. It's more of a romance than a straight action epic, but whe ndone well, I'm okay with that. I cared about these characters, and dig the themes of love, honor, loyalty, and betrayal.

    Besides being a well crafted visual delight, the camera work is awesome, the music is absolutely beautiful, and everything is executed quite well thanks to the strong direction. What makes it all worth it though are the performances. Part of why I cared about the characters is because the actors do a great job. The writing isn't pitch perfect, but the actors take it and make it really sing.

    I don't really have much else to say. This is a really wonderful cinematic gem that definitely merits watching. The better tv and sound system you have, the more striking this film is, so keep that in mind.
  • wildaly14
    January 30, 2011
    wildaly14
    The love story is great, the effects as well and the lead actor is a treat. Perfect combination of action and romance. Off the charts!
  • bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb1
    July 29, 2010
    bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb1
    B
  • SirPant
    September 18, 2009
    SirPant
    This is a truly beautiful film, the visuals are simply stunning!
  • DragonEyeMorrison
    April 16, 2009
    DragonEyeMorrison
    Fast food wuxia flick for western audiences.

View All House of Flying Daggers (Shi mian mai fu) Reviews

Critic Reviews

Roger Moore
January 14, 2005
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel

A dazzler -- and almost as exciting as its title promises. Full Review

Tom Long
January 14, 2005
Tom Long, Detroit News

About as viscerally and visually exciting as film can get, and yet it is also fully, ripely romantic in a way that few modern films would dare.

January 14, 2005
Detroit Free Press

As stunning as it is, it also serves notice that House of Flying Daggers will have none of the complexities of Hero. Full Review

Bill Muller
January 13, 2005
Bill Muller, Arizona Republic

Zhang proves that Hero was no accident with House of Flying Daggers, another Chinese period piece resplendent with a dazzling palette and soaring, ambitious fight sequences. Full Review

Eleanor Ringel Gillespie
January 13, 2005
Eleanor Ringel Gillespie, Atlanta Journal-Constitution

An intoxicating cocktail of splendid visuals, spectacular action, state-of-the-art computer-generated imagery and some old-fashioned swashbuckling worthy of Hollywood's Golden Age. Full Review

Desson Thomson
December 17, 2004
Desson Thomson, Washington Post

Zhang ... mixes old-school inventiveness with cutting-edge special effects. Full Review

Stephen Hunter
December 17, 2004
Stephen Hunter, Washington Post

It's the ravishment of romance, adventure, nobility, betrayal, all those big, primary-colored old-fashioned movie emotions. Full Review

Peter Howell
December 17, 2004
Peter Howell, Toronto Star

If pure action is your game, this House is your home. Full Review

Carla Meyer
December 17, 2004
Carla Meyer, San Francisco Chronicle

Like an extraordinary-looking but intellectually limited fashion model. Full Review

Steven Rea
December 17, 2004
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer

It's action opera, sword-and-sorcery song-and-dance, and it's a heart-pumping, jaw-dropping thrill.

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