| House of Flying Daggers |
Foreword
In Chinese, it is called ‘Shi Mian Mai Fu’ -
which means ‘ambushes from 10 sides.’ This is
another Zhang Yi Mou’s blockbuster after ‘Hero’.
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Introduction on characters
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1. Xiao Mei - Zhang Zi Yi
Xiao Mei is vulnerable as a blind courtesan in the beginning.
But her daringness comes when she fends off her enemies
when she flees from prison. It is later found that she fakes
the handicap. Her character masks demureness, hurt, fury,
flintiness and sad sensuality. The way she can fight with
a ferocity and fluidity - some see her as a young Cheng
Pei Pei.
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Zi Yi has done her homework well. Her disguise as a blind
girl is convincing. I must say that I hated her haughty
look in ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’ and
‘Hero’. I had thought of her to be a vase who
can’t act but she managed to change my impression
of her in here. Moreover with her gracefulness, there is
little doubt that she can become a pugilistic expert like
Yeoh Chi Keng. Or Yang Li Qing.
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2. Jin - Takeshi Kaneshiro
Jin is a cheeky constable who doesn’t take things
seriously. The way he projects the playboy image in the
peony pavilion is a classic. When Jin rescues Xiao Mei,
his true self shows when he inserts the flying daggers slowly
into her hand. He is past caring of his own safety and becomes
a gallant knight to get injured while saving her in the
fields.
He has never been more handsome in here. Elegant, charming,
sly, alert and agile, Takeshi fares well for his debut period
movie. I marvel at his sparkling performance, how did he
do it? His sharp features fit into the era surprisingly.
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3. Liu - Lau Tak Wah
Liu is Jin’s senior who is firm and also analytical.
He constantly reminds Jin about his mission and tails the
couple to protect them. But later, we know why - how can
he let his beloved Xiao Mei come to scratch? And obviously
he doesn’t trust Jin because he is a womanizer. He
is a member of the flying dagger clan and uses the flying
daggers constantly to prevent her from being harmed. He
is highly skilled and thus she reaches their clan safely.
However, he is angered that she has a change of heart and
kills her accidentally.
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Tak Wah is truly ageing in here. The close raping scene
shows his wrinkles clearly. But Gin adds that this shows
that he is helpless due to age, as compared to the aggressive
Takeshi. His acting is only passable and I find it a great
disappointment.
4. Song Dan Dan (This role was formerly reserved for Anita
Mui Yim Fong but she passed away)
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She works in the peony pavilion but her actual identity
is not a courtesan. She is a senior member of the flying
dagger clan. She knows that Liu and Xiao Mei is a couple
and gives them some time to cherish their old times. However,
she is also task-oriented to tell them to get back to work.
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Story
The Tang emperor is a weakling and there are many rebels.
The House of Flying Daggers is the strongest clan so the
court orders it to be demolished within 10 days. The two
constables, Liu and Jin, suspect that the blind Xiao Mei
is the sect leader’s daughter. Thus Liu gets Jin to
test her. By going undercover, he hopes that she will lead
her to their target. He pretends to be a lustful man and
wants the best woman.
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Be welcomed by the best scenes. The whore leader, Da Jie
gets the most popular performing courtesan, Xiao Mei to
perform for Jin. He tries to rape her in front of all (this
is enough to shock you) and later wants Xiao Mei to perform
a song and dance for him. He is impressed but Liu comes
at this time to throw the nuts at her to knock 100 drums.
She tries to assassinate Liu and gets arrested.
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Liu threatens to kill her but Jin rescues her out. He
gets her all her daggers back. Then they are ambushed again.
He gets her to bathe in the lotus pond but lies that he
is away. But the fact stays that he is nearby, only tying
the bells to create a smokescreen. Surprising she knows
and even asks how long he intends to look at her! When she
dresses as a man, he gets attracted.
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She tells him to leave but he returns as he cannot leave
her in the lurch. Initially, he is having an easy time to
fend off his own provincial men. But when the court constables
come, he is forced to kill them. He demands that Liu settle
this for him but Liu is helpless. Liu reminds him to be
clear minded and not to fall in love with Xiao Mei otherwise
he will fail their mission.
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The truth is released. The whore leader, Da Jie is the
temporary clan head. The clan leader’s daughter isn’t
blind nor trained in martial arts. Thus they need Xiao Mei
to pretend to be the bait. Jin is angry to be deceived as
Xiao Mei isn’t blind. They capture Jin and Liu. Soon,
Liu meets Xiao Mei in the bamboo forest. He starts to kiss
her fiercely but she rejects him.
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It turns out that they are lovers for 3 years and he is
the undercover spy for his clan. Xiao Mei tries to avoid
him again as he nearly tears open her clothes. Da Jie stops
him as there is no point forcing her. He has not met her
since the undercover. He is apologetic for not being able
to save the clan leader when he died. Da Jie spars with
him and leaves a dagger on his back. |
This is to let him answer to the court when he returns
empty handed. I think it is a stupid act - he could have
kept the dagger and not let it sink into his flesh all the
way back to the capital!
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| Da Jie orders Xiao Mei to kill Jin but she can’t
bring herself to do it. They spend an intimate moment in
the wilds instead. This is a wild scene but it is uninteresting
as it is shot from far. He releases her but he stays to
ask her to leave with him. She decides to elope with him
but Liu stops them. |
He is angry at her betrayal. How can she fall for him
just in a few days’ time? She is seriously injured
by him. Jin stops to talk to her …endless times when
she struggles to make him listen to her speech. You will
be amused - when we think she is dead, she keeps opening
her eyes to talk.
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Thinking that she is dead, the two men fight from autumn
to winter. Suddenly she stands up again and wants to protect
Jin with her flying dagger. Liu is in anguish to spar with
her. He hits his dagger onto the tree while she injures
him slightly. She finally dies with Jin hugging her while
Liu walks away sadly |
