To tell you the truth, I’m pleased as punch with America’s growing acceptance of foreign films into the mainstream. It means a lot to me just to be able to head to the nearby multiplex in my neck of the woods and see even Kung Fu Hustle on the marquee. But in the case of Curse of the Golden Flower, the gesture is appreciated, but the movie itself is something of a letdown. Filled with tons of bright colors and beautiful cinematography, Curse of the Golden Flower is ultimately a hollow venture, as the story basically amounts to a week’s worth of Maury Povich shows rolled into one package.
Set in 928 A.D. China during the Tang Dynasty, Curse of the Golden Flower revolves around a royal family with about a bajillion chips on its collective shoulder. Emperor Ping (Chow Yun-Fat) has begun poisoning his wife (Gong Li), driving her towards madness with each dosage. Meanwhile, the Empress herself is having an affair with Crown Prince Wan (Liu Ye), the Emperor’s son from a previous marriage. Wan, though, is eager to end the relationship so he can run off with his sweetheart Chan (Li Man), the daughter of the Imperial Doctor. However, Chan’s mother shares a secret connection with the Emperor that threatens to emerge on the eve of the annual Chrysanthemum Festival. But although the Empress’ obsessive embroidering of the yellow flowers seems to be a product of her illness, second son Prince Jai (Jay Chou) suspects that she may be putting into action a plan that will affect their family forever.
Having been a big fan of writer/director Zhang Yimou’s Hero and House of Flying Daggers (still, to this date, the most beautiful-looking movie I’ve ever seen), it was with great anticipation that I looked forward to Curse, the third in the Chinese filmmaker’s recent martial arts trilogy. But whereas the other two films intertwined visual artistry and story with almost effortless ease, how great Curse looks comes across as a pretty obvious cover-up for the soap operaesque storyline. I definitely can’t fault Yimou’s eye for visuals, as for this film, he has amassed some of the most eye-catching sets and breathtaking landscapes in recent cinema. Armies of soldiers in golden armor do battle, assassins fly through the air like Tarzan ninjas, and countless chrysanthemums fill just about every inch of the Emperor’s grand palace. It all looks absolutely stunning, and the visuals definitely engage the viewer in that sense, but when it comes to immersing one’s self in the story, it’s the viewer that’ll end up being cursed.
For someone who has obviously paid an extreme amount of attention to visual detail, it’s odd that Yimou would serve up a story that so simplistically boils down to who wants to sleep with who and who wants to kill who. Curse of the Golden Flower is a mixture of double-crossings, secret affairs, murders, and other plot elements that would be right at home in any random “Days of Our Lives” episode, each new turn only prolonging the film’s length and keeping the audience wondering if this is it as far as the plot goes. Yimou occasionally launches the story into a rousing action sequence (from a fight between the Emperor and Prince Jai early on to the massive climactic battle scene), and although I’m willing to bet he wanted viewers to appreciate the movie more than for its fights, Yimou makes them so exciting that one doesn’t want to return to the corny melodrama polluting the rest of the film. At least the performances aren’t affected much; Gong Li is ravishing as always, and Chow Yun-Fat’s Emperor Ping emerges as a ruthless, butt-kicking force that you do not want to mess with.
Though undoubtedly more artistic and ambitious than your garden-variety “wire-fu” entry, watching Curse of the Golden Flower is akin to looking at a gorgeous painting — and not giving two flips as to what it is.
Rating: 
-A.J. Hakari
Read more of A.J.’s reviews at ReelTalk Movie Reviews, Classic Movie Guide, and Terror Tube.
