House of Flying Daggers

I finally got a chance to see this movie after about two years of meaning to see it. It was always there in the back of my mind, but certain things (including watching movies with people who didn't want to see it as much as I did) kept it from happening. Luckily, I found and bought an inexpensive copy to solve that problem.
And it was worth it. The movie is enchanting, and officially on my list of "movies I could watch once a week for the rest of my life." I'd never seen a Yimou Zhang film before, but having seen Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon a number of times, I had mostly accurate expectations. Both movies have superb art, drama, depth, and combat going for them. For the average viewer, House of Flying Daggers requires a bit of adjustment of expectations, as Chinese films tend to be more fantastic and cartoon-y with their fighting sequences. However, if this doesn't put you off, it's quite a treat. Thankfully, I was ready for this aspect of the film and enjoyed it immensely.
In short, House of Flying Daggers is a feast for the eyes. Each scene is a work of art. Zhang integrates color, combat, and nature to create a vivid backdrop for a beautiful story of love, drama, and loss.
Zhang moderates the fantastic elements of this film quite well. The fighting sequences, while creative and engaging, complement the plot and don't distract from the rest of the movie. Each of the main characters gets the screen time they deserve, and are given great depth and character development. Ziyi Zhang, who plays Mei, makes the movie as convincing as it is. In my opinion, she's greatly improved since Crouching Tiger, which was nothing to sneeze at, either. Also noteworthy are Takeshi Kaneshiro as Jin, and Andy Lau as Leo. All three bring the story together seamlessly. Plus, Takeshi Kaneshiro is pretty darn attractive.
The first viewing is the best. It keeps you on your toes for the most part, and creatively delivers an engaging plot with characters we care about. There are some surprises, which are complicated, but don't alienate the audience at all. Personally, I loved the story. It rings so true on a number of different levels, and I think most people could identify with at least part of it. It's right up my alley: dramatic and even sorrowful, yet hopeful that humans have great potential for good, and for love.
**POTENTIAL SPOILER** (if you're one of those people who effortlessly figures out a movie within the first 20-30 minutes)
My problem with the movie is the fact that the surprises at the end render a significant piece of the first part of the movie pretty much pointless. While I watched it for the first time, I was so intrigued and impressed by the turns that the story made and how well it seemed to pull them off. Upon further reflection, however, (and a second watch) the beginning of the film is far less cool than originally thought. In my opinion, a movie should build upon itself and form a unified whole. In this case, an attempt to keep us guessing worked, but also forced the film to contradict itself a bit.

Rating: 15

This is definitely my kind of movie: graceful yet fatal martial arts, incredible characters with the right amount of depth, beautiful images and scenes that push us to the edge of reason, and a dramatic story that doesn't condescend to the audience and has a good message. In the end, my issues with the plot can easily be pushed aside for these qualities.