suvopyne49 Often, we hear, regarding a film, that the screenplay was not tidy, the story was non-existent, the pacing was slow et cetera. Why yes, the story of the film is very much the crux of any film, it is, however, possible to achieve greatness without much of a story per se. Hou Hsiao-Hsien's The Assassin not only makes that possible but becomes a marvel at it. It is the sheer beauty of each frame that makes you forget about the story. Each frame, in itself, is a story. You do not mind the snail's pace of screenplay as you do not want the frame in front of your eyes to pass. You gorge them. This rare feat makes The Assassin one of the truest visual poetry.For it is poetry. Most of the time we treat the film like a novel. Films are indeed often a visual mean of storytelling. In that regard, it becomes as engrossing as a great story should be. But, films can be a mean of poetry too. Poetry need not have three acts, great characters or a fine climax. Poetry is a beautiful encapsulation of moments, that is to be felt. Hou's The Assassin is just that. However, it doesn't mean that there is no premise whatsoever for the film. There is. Based on a martial arts story by the same name as our protagonist, this wuxia fiction set in 8th century Tang dynasty is centered around the titular assassin, Nie Yinniang. In the very first wonderfully shot black and white couple minutes, we were shown Nie Yinniang's capability as well as her humane side. Upon this, she was sent, as an attempt to strengthen her resolve, to assassinate the governor who was her cousin and also once betrothed.The tale is told with touch of magnificence. Director Hou's vision seeps in each frame of the film. As a result, the viewers would also be immersed, if they have the patience for it. By now, it is quite evident that the cinematography of the film is drop-dead gorgeous. Mark Lee Ping Bin's camera performs a key role in the muted yet enigmatic atmosphere of the film.The film is as well shot as it is well acted. Shu Qi, as the protagonist Nie Yinniang, was pivotal in her performance as the film centered around her character. Her nuance is instinctive, movements swift and emotions passionate. She depicts the conflict within Yinniang as deftly as she does in the orchestrated fighting sequences.The Assassin is a visual masterpiece, a glowing example of art-house cinema.

Derek Childs (totalovrdose) Typically I've found, when a lot of critics praise a film, it often isn't that good. I'm however glad to say that is not the case with The Assassin, a film I was looking forward to watching. Despite been classified as an 'action' film, the feature often works best as a political period piece, anyone looking for a martial-arts epic perhaps wanting to focus their attention elsewhere. That being said, the fight scenes, though usually short lived, are beautifully choreographed, occasionally appearing more like a dance, sweeping you away with their gracefulness.The film centres around our self-titled assassin, Yinniang (Shu Qi), who is hailed as been 'unmatched' by her teacher, Jiacheng (Sheu Fang-yi), who took her away when she was a child and trained her in the arts of fighting. From her piercing, thousand yard stare, her straight posture and deft touch, there is never a moment when you don't believe Yinniang to be who she is, her calculated movements making her appear like water on screen. For someone who is so lovely (and tiny), Ms. Qi is phenomenal, there been moments when you can't help but shiver as she stares into the camera and right into you, eliciting the same fear her victims no doubt feel.Though Yinniang says barely a syllable throughout the film, on the rare occasion when she does speak, you are given the rarest glimpse of her compassion and humanity. Her sympathetic heart is the reason her master gives her the mission of assassinating Weibo's governor, Tian (Chang Chen), who was once her former intended husband when Yinniang was a child, Jiacheng believing the completion of this task will make Yinniang undefeatable in battle.The environments and set pieces are vivid and gorgeous, showing a delicate, flourishing world of colour and tranquillity, while the costumes are as elegant as they are majestic. Despite the film centring on a professional killer, the film does not rely on any blood, nor is there any sexual content of any kind.Moreover, the music accompanies the scenes well, though does not appear to centre around any characters or themes. The Assassin however is more a visual spectacle than anything else, one of those rare films you may need to watch more than once, in order to truly see all that the director intended, even the subtlest of images having a great impact, while the occasional use of black and white helps depict the different seasons in Yinniang's career.Themes of honour, jealousy and family occasionally feed into the narrative, and though these required more depth, there is no denying their importance during certain scenes, though the concept of black magic seemed unusually out of place. The same level of depth could have additionally been applied to some of the feature's secondary characters, whose intentions we only begin to briefly understand.Towards the end, an anti-climatic resolution presents itself to the audience, the story continuing long after the credits role, enabling the viewer to create their own particular ending to fit the leads. Considering the exactness of much of the feature, it is a little disappointing that we are provided an end that is, although conclusive, far from definitive.

ibarrf Well I must admit I was misled by the Title of the movie and was expecting an action flick, still I watched the whole thing and was very disappointed. In my opinion "The Assassin" tries to be too many things at once; it tries to have action in it but fights are short and few (if well choreographed), it tries to be a drama but it never made me care enough for any of the characters or what happens to them and finally it actually provokes amazement and wonder with it's locations and general cinematography, but sadly it's not enough to make the movie entertaining. It felt more like a 2 hr slideshow of landscapes than a movie. I know there are people that will appreciate it in some way, but I'm sure they studied cinematography or are related to the subject in some way, the rest of us will find it slow and boring, no matter how visually beautiful it may be.

billcr12 The Assassin is promoted as a martial arts film, which is extremely misleading, as we see very few fight scenes. Shu Qi is the lead as a female killer, Nie Yinniang, in seventh century China. She was given to a nun as a small child, and after some unseen battle training returns to her birth place to kill corrupt political and military leaders. Qui is stunning and the cinematography breathtaking; first in black and white with shadows, an obvious Citizen Kane influence, to magnificent color shots of pastel looking silk finery and opulent palaces. The problem is the slow pace and somewhat confusing story line. Viewed as a visual piece, it succeeds, but I would have preferred a more clear cut theme. I will still recommend The Assassin for the beautiful Shu Qi, and the richness of the scenery.