Ugh.
Didn't enjoy this movie too much - IMO it definitely starts out quite strongly but starts to drag and the last act is utterly laughable.
The initial scenes are definitely filmed in grand style and elegance. Not only is the narrative at this point coherent and sensible but it is visually stunning - intricate architectural features are only matched by the brilliance of he costumes. A creative action sequence; this segment is easily the best of the entire movie.
As one proceeds outdoors, one still sees some monochromatic colorschemes, but it's not as overt as say, Hero. As the "journey" goes on though,
The further this movie drags on the more it becomes, dare I say it, overly Hollywoodified. It's basically a love triangle and some action sequences laid over a very skimpy framework. The action is okay to pretty good(pumped up by CG, no lesss), the visuals okay, the acting acceptable, the story sadly deficient, only serving to transport the movie between setpieces. Sound familiar?
Any emotion that I could muster for character's interrelationships is sucked away in the final scene. It is at this point where the movie becomes a self-parody as it continues to take itself seriously in the face of utterly ridiculous events.
Odds 'n ends:
- I bet that Maggie could beat Andy in a swordfight
- did anyone else get a chuckle when
- for me this would be a rental, or else pretty low on the "see in theater" section. Not something that I would personally buy.
I'm thinking of doing a parallel screening for my friends when it gets here. Hopefully the much improved R3 double disc release will be here by then.