Curse of the Golden Flower

I really love this movie! I love how much color is present in the director's films.

From start to finish, this film was Visually stunning, with some of the best costumes, sets, and use of massive numbers of extras I've ever seen. To top that off, the story was well told, superbly acted, and the fight scenes were excellently done. I cannot recommend this film enough.

I can think of plenty of things to say. But I can't tell where to start; so I'll start where I can tell. Director Zhang Yimou definitely knows that film is an art, and shows it by way of "Curse of the Golden Flower." Him and the genius art and production designers. Very colorful the interior and exterior of the palace are. Outside of the palace grounds, it is rather grey and overcast. It probably would seems so to anyone used to being raised by royalty and wealth. Also, Zhang Yimou keeps up the motif of lovers being kept apart by circumstance, status, or some other third thing. It was used in films like "The Road Home", "House of the Flying Daggers", and "Raise the Red Lantern". I definitely gotta see that one again. Dead-on performances by Chow Yun Fat and Gong Li as the savagely disconnected Emperor and Empress. Speaking of which, the dissention in the Imperial family definitely shows that dysfunction is NO laughing matter. The Empress is being slowly poisoned, on the Emperor's orders. Prince Jai is torn between loyalty to father and to mother. Crowned Prince Wan is in love with Chan, a servant and daughter of the Imperial Doctor; yet, the Empress wants him for herself. (There is a shattering twist waiting in the climax, which will set Wan and Chan even further apart than their societal standings.) Prince Yu is barely noticed by both parents; maybe not noticed, period. Where is the love in this family? Plus, the battle scenes between the Emperor's soldiers and the Empress's forces, led by Prince Jai, give two facts away. (1) This is a period in which the man seems to overpower the woman (and the man who has her back) everytime. (2) With that many soldiers and that many servants & valets, that is TOO MUCH power for one man to have. True, the story is on the rushed side. It could have used more build-up between crucial moments--not to mention where the Emperor and Empress were before they [covertly] clashed. And, if I may say, the Imperial Doctor, Chan, Crowned Prince Wan, and the Empress's soldiers--to name some--were killed too fast and easily. But the main point(s) of the story still got through; and each character still had a story big enough for a seperate project. The closing, though a tragic downer, shows that even royalty cannot always abide by the top dog's orders--especially when the head honcho is out of his gourd. Another note: Never play favorites amongst your children, royal or not. NEVER. All in all, "Curse of the Golden Flower" is worth watching; maybe not twice or more in one day or one week, but it is still worth it. Personally, it's the two award-worthy leads that keep me watching this film--and wanting to learn about "Way Back When" China--again and again. Them and the stunning production and art design. I would give this film three and a half out of five stars, but sites like iTunes have limits. And since the leads and designs are phenomenal, I'm going to let this one slide. 4 out of 5 stars. Still, next time you and the hired writer(s) do a period piece like this one, Mr. Zhang, slow down. It will indeed help.

All I have to say is that this movie is absolutely beautiful, it made me cry it made me sit a the edge of my seat, I love it

I saw some of it with my friend but it was dubbed and I really didn't like the dubbed because they always make at least one character sound like there's something wrong with them, so I was hopping someone who brought it could tell me if this has subtitles and is not dubbed

Tha movie of this film is great mostly about da queen gettin poision by da king witch waz real sad 2 think a king would do that 2 his on queen

The first half dragged on and the action in the second half was very week. Very little karate fighting and to top it off, the movie was subtitled in English. This was a total disappointment.

So as it has been noted multiple times in the past reviews the color schemes in this movie are absolutely outstanding. The plot was interesting and the action was good but the movie in itself was a bit dissapointing. it seemed slow at some parts and fast at others. I enjoy the directors very much but this one kind of made me wish that there was a rent option for the movie so that I could pay only 3 bucks to watch it once instead of 10 and not knowing when I would watch it again.

"Curse of the Golden Flower" is a great movie with an exceptional plot, great twists, and impressive battle scenes.

The movie was colorful yes, but the movie was boring until the end when they fought.