House of Flying Daggers

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Year:	2004
Country of origin:	China / Hong Kong
Director:	Yimou Zhang
Genre:	Martial arts fantasy
Starring:	Ziyi Zhang, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Andy Lau
Rating:	5/5
IMDB link:	http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0385004/
Tagline:	No tagline
Favourite line:	N/A - Subtitles

From the director of Hero, Yimou Zhang, comes a sumptuous romantic martial arts fairytale that is by turns bewitching, violent and laced with romance.

The plot:
Set during the Tang dynasty in China (circa 600 - 900 A.D.), a narcissistic police officer, Jin, is sent to a brothel as part of an investigation into a rebel group, opposed to the government forces known as the House of Flying Daggers. Once there, Jin is enchanted by the beautiful dancing and martial arts prowess of a young blind woman. Captivated, he attempts to ravish her, but is interrupted when the police burst in and arrest both himself and the blind dancer. Imprisoned, Jin manages to free the dancer and they both flee. With the police hot on their heels, much fighting ensues and, just as all seems lost, a swarm of daggers fly through the air, slaying their attackers.
But who threw the daggers?
And precisely whose side is everyone on, anyway?

Beautifully shot, this is evocative, imaginative, artistic film-making of the highest order. The stunt work is remarkable and, whilst some will quibble at the amount of wire-work used, this simply lends to the air of the fantastical that the director evokes.
Though occasionally getting bogged down in it's own romantic musings, as a love triangle manifests that can only end in bloodshed, still this is engaging, creative and simply gorgeous to look at.
Very good indeed.