The Banquet HK DVD
11-08-06, 11:31 PM
#26
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I just watched the DVD of THE BANQUET. It's definitely not a bad movie - at best, it's a pretty fair adaption of Hamlet. I've seen a lot of Shakespeare movies and most of them are all pretty much the same - vanilla, emotionless, and basically theatrical. The only Shakespeare movie that made me actually care about the characters was in Leonardo DiCaprio's ROMEO AND JULIET.
The Banquet is a slightly slow-paced movie, but it's definitely entertaining - it definitely builds up to an exciting climax during the banquet. It seems that the director's favorite part of Hamlet is during the climax, and everything else is sort of filler. When people mention use the word "slow-paced", I usually think of the typical Japanese samurai movie (The Twilight Samurai) or an awful movie like Princess Racoon. But thankfully, this movie was pretty entertaining for Shakespeare, with some pretty impressive action scenes. For every talky scene for 10 minutes, the director throws in some sort of impressive visual slo-mo action scene. So, he is a pretty good director and definitely cares about not letting the audience nod off.
I can say that this was the most perfectly filmed movie I've seen all year, and the sets and costume designs were pretty amazing. But the story is nothing special - it's just overrated Shakespeare. The acting is very good, especially Daniel Wu as Hamlet and the actor who played the Emperor (are we supposed to feel bad for him through out the movie? I did. I wasn't sure if he is supposed to be a villain.). I've always liked Daniel Wu after watching Purple Storm. I even liked him in Naked Weapon. Here in The Banquet, he has matured and seems like a pretty good leading man. His voice seems lower when he speaks Chinese, instead of his usual English.
Definitely 10 times better than The Promise, in which that movie was just a bunch of scenes awkwardly pieced together. In The Banquet, the movie may seem slow-paced, but the flow is smooth and is a professionally-made movie.
I would give this movie 7 out of 10 stars.
The Banquet is a slightly slow-paced movie, but it's definitely entertaining - it definitely builds up to an exciting climax during the banquet. It seems that the director's favorite part of Hamlet is during the climax, and everything else is sort of filler. When people mention use the word "slow-paced", I usually think of the typical Japanese samurai movie (The Twilight Samurai) or an awful movie like Princess Racoon. But thankfully, this movie was pretty entertaining for Shakespeare, with some pretty impressive action scenes. For every talky scene for 10 minutes, the director throws in some sort of impressive visual slo-mo action scene. So, he is a pretty good director and definitely cares about not letting the audience nod off.
I can say that this was the most perfectly filmed movie I've seen all year, and the sets and costume designs were pretty amazing. But the story is nothing special - it's just overrated Shakespeare. The acting is very good, especially Daniel Wu as Hamlet and the actor who played the Emperor (are we supposed to feel bad for him through out the movie? I did. I wasn't sure if he is supposed to be a villain.). I've always liked Daniel Wu after watching Purple Storm. I even liked him in Naked Weapon. Here in The Banquet, he has matured and seems like a pretty good leading man. His voice seems lower when he speaks Chinese, instead of his usual English.
Definitely 10 times better than The Promise, in which that movie was just a bunch of scenes awkwardly pieced together. In The Banquet, the movie may seem slow-paced, but the flow is smooth and is a professionally-made movie.
I would give this movie 7 out of 10 stars.
11-12-06, 09:20 PM
#27
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Just got around to watching this one. The first third of the film was incredible and magical….it was poetic, and sensory, and indescribably sumptuous….and I was considering it as both my best and my favorite film of 2006. It wasn’t that the story or performances were exceptional but I was completely enchanted by the visuals. If you like cinematic eye-candy, “The Banquet” is a must watch; it really was breathtakingly gorgeous and I’d be hard-pressed to come up with another recent film as pretty.
After the opening third (and maybe once you grow accustomed to the visuals) a reality-check starts to set in, you do start to feel the slower pace at which the film proceeds, and it does settle into a rather routine Shakespearean adaptation (played out on luscious sets). The performances were solid, but yet I never really got fired up or made much of an emotional connection to the characters….despite performing to the best of their abilities perhaps some alternate casting might have elevated the character-based middle section of the film. The film does rise again and re-captures some magic in the closing quarter which again was of high caliber.
For action fans, don’t be fooled by the really excellent opening action scene because that is unquestionably the best and lengthiest you get in the film. There are a few later action scenes (all except maybe two are very brief and rather restrained) but the film isn’t about the action at all…….it’s Shakespeare…so basically a royal court drama.
In some way, “The Banquet” might best be approached as maybe a Terrence Malick (“The New World”, “The Thin Red Line”, etc.) film….something you sort of give in to and “experience” as opposed to approaching it in a more traditional manner. All that being said and despite perhaps sagging a little during the middle section, I did very much enjoy it and felt more than satisfied after a strong close to the film.
For those who haven’t yet seen it, another film from Director Feng Xiaogang entitled “A World Without Thieves” (2004) is easily one of my personal favorites among all films I’ve seen these past few years.
After the opening third (and maybe once you grow accustomed to the visuals) a reality-check starts to set in, you do start to feel the slower pace at which the film proceeds, and it does settle into a rather routine Shakespearean adaptation (played out on luscious sets). The performances were solid, but yet I never really got fired up or made much of an emotional connection to the characters….despite performing to the best of their abilities perhaps some alternate casting might have elevated the character-based middle section of the film. The film does rise again and re-captures some magic in the closing quarter which again was of high caliber.
For action fans, don’t be fooled by the really excellent opening action scene because that is unquestionably the best and lengthiest you get in the film. There are a few later action scenes (all except maybe two are very brief and rather restrained) but the film isn’t about the action at all…….it’s Shakespeare…so basically a royal court drama.
In some way, “The Banquet” might best be approached as maybe a Terrence Malick (“The New World”, “The Thin Red Line”, etc.) film….something you sort of give in to and “experience” as opposed to approaching it in a more traditional manner. All that being said and despite perhaps sagging a little during the middle section, I did very much enjoy it and felt more than satisfied after a strong close to the film.
For those who haven’t yet seen it, another film from Director Feng Xiaogang entitled “A World Without Thieves” (2004) is easily one of my personal favorites among all films I’ve seen these past few years.
01-28-07, 04:54 PM
#28
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Putting in a recent order of Shaw Brothers flicks from HK, I decided to throw the $7.99 Maylasian DVD of The Banquet in there, and was very happy with the movie.
I thought it was a very beautifully filmed movie, and a plot that was intricate, but not so much so that it became confusing (it does help if you're familiar with Hamlet). Not so much an action movie, as has been mentioned, but there are a couple of standout martial arts scenes that are pretty cutting edge. I really liked the symbolism in the first fight of the artists/musicians being cut down by the government soldiers---kind of surprised that got by the Chinese censors, as I thought the political point was pretty clear. GREAT cinematography throughout, and also, a very interesting use of music through the whole movie, with some slow, jazzy piano pieces even during the fight scenes---it felt quite fresh to me. Very enjoyable movie.
I thought it was a very beautifully filmed movie, and a plot that was intricate, but not so much so that it became confusing (it does help if you're familiar with Hamlet). Not so much an action movie, as has been mentioned, but there are a couple of standout martial arts scenes that are pretty cutting edge. I really liked the symbolism in the first fight of the artists/musicians being cut down by the government soldiers---kind of surprised that got by the Chinese censors, as I thought the political point was pretty clear. GREAT cinematography throughout, and also, a very interesting use of music through the whole movie, with some slow, jazzy piano pieces even during the fight scenes---it felt quite fresh to me. Very enjoyable movie.
01-29-07, 04:18 PM
#29
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For those in the Portland, OR, area: the Portland International Film Festival will be showing this movie on 2/15 and 2/19. Check http://www.nwfilm.org.
