The Emperor and the Assassin (1998)

This Movie Can Only Be Described With One Word.

Brilliant and touching

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

I read all of the other comments which made this movie out to be an excellent movie. I saw nothing of the excellence that was stated. I thought it was long and boring. I tried twice to watch it. The first time I fell asleep and the second time I made it to within six minutes of the end and gave up. I suppose that it was mainly my fault going in with great expectation, but I don't think that this would have completely ruined the movie for me. The movie was just bland. It had nothing that was spectacular or unique to it. The plot was not half bad, the action sequences were non-existent, the dialogue forced and the movie just went on forever. I would not recommend seeing this movie.

This movie is beautiful in many ways: the plot, the depth of the characters, the stunning photography and acting, the kolossal-like scenes of battles (no computer graphics here, just thousands of people). Someone said the story has something to do with the Sheakespearian tragedies. I find some connections with the Greek tragedy tradition, too.The emperor, extraordinarily acted, struggles between power and love, but he is forced (for the greater good, for the will of his ancestors) to choose the power (and the loneliness, the hate of his subjects and kins) as his destiny. He, like Creon in Antigone, was a good guy before becoming emperor. Once gained power, he has to be merciless and cruel (with innocent children, his mother, his father, etc.) to defend and expand the empire. Entrapped by power he becomes a monster. Overall, The Qin emperor is a majestic Greek tragedy figure.The assassin evolves towards a different direction: from pure evil to heroism and morality. Even this character is forced towards his destiny by love and by his new ethics. This character is really unforgettable, too.Lady Zhao, a wonderful Gong Li, is the uncorrupted morality, nor by power or love or hate. She is morality against power, somehow like Antigone. Her conspiracies (for and against the emperor) have always a moral rationale.In conclusion, a wonderful movie. If you love cinema and you want to try Chinese movies you can start here.

I enjoyed the film very much, especially the performance of the exceptionally beautiful Gong Li as the concubine.It was a little distracting, however, to have Chinese dialogue PLUS English subtitles PLUS American-accented voice-over, even though the voice over was very well synchronised.Qin shi huiang di's (The First Emperor of Qin's)family name was Zheng, and his given name Yiong so in the English he should have been referred to as "King Zheng" or "Emperor Zheng", and NOT as "King Ying Zheng" as in those days the two family/given names were not used together.The State of Qin is pronounced "Chin" not "shin" - a pity the researchers didn't get this right.I forgave this but was dismayed at the end when the commentary announced that he was buried at "Zai-an" together with his terra cotta warriors. The town Xi'an is pronounced "See-an" , never "Zai-an"- surely the American voice-over speakers could have got that right !

This is one heck of a movie. I'm not one for long drawn out epics. I waited five years before seeing Braveheart and thoroughly enjoyed that. This is just as intense but without all the violence and gore. It is a beautiful moving piece of art. The characters show many emotional depths without have to say too much. Gong Li is perfect as Lady Zahn and the assassin is so real as a man who is haunted by his past, once so bloodthirsty, and later redeemable, you can see where Gong Li's character would fall in love with him. It is a historical romance in a weird sort of way but it's like trying to describe a painting to someone. You just need to see it for yourself.