Chen Kaige's "The Promise", kung-fu epic has opene

tom2681 · Post by **tom2681** » 01 Jan 2006, 00:32

It's strange.

It's been 24 hours since I've seen this film and I can't stop thinking about it. The more I think about it, the better it gets.
I keep finding more and more layers, just like when I saw Legend of Zu for the first time.

Have you ever seen a film that makes you feel "That's why I like cinema" ?
a film that makes you feel "Wow, all the movies I've ever seen are crap compared to this one" ?
Because this is exactly how I feel right now.

The Promise is a movie about "playful gods".
(where the characters themselves have no control over their fates, because higher beings are playing with the world).
-Just like in Matrix (Neo and Morpheus are just pawns, the real players are the Oracle and the Architect).
-Just like in The Lord of The Rings (Frodo, Theoden, Aragorn; they're all manipulated by Gandalf and Sauron).

I cannot even begin to understand why so many people don't like The Promise. It's got everything I've ever wanted to see in an Epic.

I wish you guys had seen this movie already, so we could talk about it.

BTW: I don't understand the US title at all.
This movie is about Princess QinCheng (Cecilia Cheung), not about the Master of the Crimson Armour.

P.S: Don't pay any attention to my previous mini-review, I wrote it too early. Sometimes it takes a while to realize how great a movie can be.

Thank you, Mr Chen Kaige. I'm eagerly awaiting your next masterpiece.
And please don't pay any attention to all those bad reviews. Stupid gits don't know anything about movies.

Yi-Long · Post by **Yi-Long** » 01 Jan 2006, 10:32

Welll gee, Tom... I would like to think that this is indeed a very good and special film... and I'm really hoping it is... but then I look at all the other movies you liked that are in your sig... (Twins Effect 2, Battle Royale 2, etc etc...)

...I think I'll wait for a couple more reviews

brooce-leroy · Post by **brooce-leroy** » 02 Jan 2006, 19:43

The review I read on Brooklyn Bridge site was not overly complimentary (Sp?). Is this the movie that Cecilia was supposed to be showing off her mini baps?

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 02 Jan 2006, 20:15

Apparently

tom2681 · Post by **tom2681** » 02 Jan 2006, 20:28

The review I read on Brooklyn Bridge site was not overly complimentary

Read his other reviews.
You'll see this guy doesn't know anything about movies.

Quote:

It could even have been outright gripping in the hands of directors like Ching Siu Tung or Raymond Lee

This ain't a fast-paced WuXia ! It's an epic love triangle, for f*ck's sake !

This echoes other movies, namely Hero. That one also had a director ill-prepared for an action story

He doesn't like Hero, but criticizes The Promise anyway knowing that it's the same kind of film.

would-be clash of titans between the forces of good and evil amounts to less than a storm in a teacup

Because the movie's not about Good and Evil, you jerk !

Cecilia Cheung spends most of her time trying to mimic Crouching Tiger's pouting heroine, resulting in a disastrous mess that's not helped by the atrocious makeup unleashed on the young lass

He didn't even understand her role in The Promise.
She's schizophrenic, damn it. She doesn't want to betray her lovers, she just does.
It's all about "her Promise" (or her curse).

This a**hole went to the theater expecting a classic WuXia from the early 90s. Of course he was disappointed.
The Promise is all about subtlety, love and symbolism.

Some reviewers deserve to be shot.
If you don't understand the movie, then don't review it.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 02 Jan 2006, 22:04

Does Cecilia actually show her nipples or does she cover her baps with her arms like in those promo images?

A purely academic question... you understand?

tom2681 · Post by **tom2681** » 02 Jan 2006, 23:15

We do get to see a bit of left nipple (almost by accident) but that's it.

thelostdragon · Post by **thelostdragon** » 02 Jan 2006, 23:58

Tom2681 wrote:Some reviewers deserve to be shot.

Have you ever read a review on one of my websites? If so, do you think I should be shot, too?

Note: You're allowed to be honest.

tom2681 · Post by **tom2681** » 03 Jan 2006, 00:11

do you think I should be shot, too ?

No, because you understand the movies you criticize.
If you have good reasons to say that a movie is bad, then it's OK.

But it's not OK to:
-criticize a movie because it's not the kind of movie that you expected.
-criticize a movie because of its actors or directors (reviewers should stay neutral and judge the film, not the filmmakers).
-criticize a movie because you can't follow the plot.

You're allowed to be honest.

I always say what's on my mind.
That's why so many people don't like me.

Note: I happen to disagree with many of your reviews, but I respect your opinion because you have interesting things to say about those movies.

[Rant mode on]
However, websites like LoveHKfilm.com make me sick. Just because a film was made by Wong Jing doesn't mean it HAS to be bad.
You can tell that these guys have made up their minds even before they've seen the movies.
[Rant mode off]

thelostdragon · Post by **thelostdragon** » 03 Jan 2006, 00:23

Or when Ekin is in them, he he he!

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 03 Jan 2006, 01:17

My problem with most reviewers is that they tow the accepted line as Tom says.

In other words it's OK to criticize certain people (Wong Jing, Michael Wong, Ekin Cheng) regardless of how good they/the film are/is.

Yet others can make the most awful trash (Johnnie To/Wai Ka Fai/Wong Kar Wai) and reviewers desperately go out their way to look for things to praise.

I call each film as I see it and get no pleasure out of slating a film I feel is bad. But I won't praise rubbish no matter how much critics like it or how many awards it wins (yes, Running on Karma, I'm talking about you!)

thelostdragon · Post by **thelostdragon** » 03 Jan 2006, 01:22

"Running on Karma" was cool!

tom2681 · Post by **tom2681** » 03 Jan 2006, 01:30

Back to The Promise:

I think I should mention that there are some scenes that were shown in the 11-minute Cannes preview and that didn't make it into the final film.

I'm not putting a spoiler tag because these scenes are not relevant to the finished film's plot:
-Cecilia shooting an arrow into the Master of the Crimson Armour's back.
-Different takes of Cecilia's expressions during the trial.
-Cecilia and Kunlun hugging on a battlefield (that's the shot that was used for the poster).

These shots would indicate that there is a layer of subplots that has been removed from the finished film, which would explain why the ending feels akward and a little rushed.

I'm personally hoping for a 150-minutes director's cut to come out one day.

thelostdragon · Post by **thelostdragon** » 03 Jan 2006, 01:51

OK, so now I know the 11 minutes clip doesn't have anything to do with the finished film, I can take a look at it.

But... where is the link to it again?

thelostdragon · Post by **thelostdragon** » 03 Jan 2006, 02:00

You know, it's awesome that the soundtrack was composed by Klaus Badelt, a German composer who has also composed the music for about 30 Hollywood movies. He is great at what he does, but how comes they chose him?

Anyway, ordered the soundtrack as I know I can trust that guy's music.

gojensen · Post by **gojensen** » 03 Jan 2006, 08:16

Meh... there are too many so-called "HK/Asian filmfans" that really truly believes that HK/Asian film making is all about chop socky action galore. And then some of these think they have what it takes to review ALL HK/Asian films. Meh I say to them

So Tom, I couldn't quite figure out if you saw the full length flick or the "edited" international version?

tom2681 · Post by **tom2681** » 03 Jan 2006, 12:09

@LD:
I don't know why they chose Klaus Badelt, but it's a great choice.
The Time Machine (2002) and Pirates of the Caribbean are my favourite scores.

Tom, I couldn't quite figure out if you saw the full length flick or the "edited" international version ?

The version I saw was about 122 minutes long IIRC.
The chinese version is supposed to be 128 minutes.

Have I seen the shortened version ? I honestly don't know...I hope not.

*Investigating...*

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 03 Jan 2006, 12:38

Maybe that was the Chinese version running at PAL speed?

The US version is supposed to be about 20 mins shorter.

tom2681 · Post by **tom2681** » 03 Jan 2006, 14:28

Maybe that was the Chinese version running at PAL speed ?

Probably was. I've checked all my screeners and they're identical.
The version I saw was the mainland edit.

gojensen · Post by **gojensen** » 04 Jan 2006, 08:28

According to a story in LA Times the Chinese version is 121 minutes whereas the US version would be 102 minutes...

tom2681 · Post by **tom2681** » 04 Jan 2006, 11:40

Thanks.
So it's the IMDB that's wrong...

As always.

thelostdragon · Post by **thelostdragon** » 13 Jan 2006, 10:24

English subtitles 5-disc Limited Edition out on Jan. 27th:
http://www.dvdheaven.com/dvd/dvd_detail.php?idx=15450

Screen : PAL
Audio : dts / Dolby Digital 5.1 & Dolby Digital 2.0
Region Code : Region All
Subtitle : English / Simplified Chinese
More Features :

- 2 DVD9 + 1 DVD5 : Movie of The Promise and Special Features
- 1 DVD9 : Movie of Farewell My Concubine (Directed by Chen Kaige)
- 1 DVD9 : Movie of The Emperor and The Assassin (Directed by Chen Kaige)

- 88 pages of Making Note
- 8 Collecting Cards
- 6 Book Markers
- 1 Big Poster

thelostdragon · Post by **thelostdragon** » 13 Jan 2006, 10:24

Personally, I'll wait for another version.

romerojpg · Post by **romerojpg** » 13 Jan 2006, 16:56

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 13 Jan 2006, 17:15

Because that'll be too expensive?

That looks a nice set but it'll surely cost a bomb.

EDIT: Actually $37 is pretty damn good considering what you get - maybe LD doesnt want the other movies. The quality might not be as good as say, an HK DVD.