Xuan ya zhi shang

No pun intended - and when you watch the movie to the end, you will get a feeling that something is missing ... or not told to the end. That is because there will be a sequel to this. I had no idea when I started watching this, that that was the case ... but it is what it is. I would have waited and watched this and the sequel together.

It looks like Zhang Yimou is also doing the sequel. And if that name means something to you (I reckon you came to this site because of him rather than the film title), than you know what to expect from a movie he directs. There is a reason a lot of his work is getting nominated for a lot of awards ... same is true for this one right here.

Tension is high and the visuals match the the story that is being told. There is enough thrill to keep you on the edge of your seat. Even if you do not have any clue what happened in real life (history and all that). We cannot know it all, can we? Maybe this will keep you interested in all things that surround this and maybe more about chinese history.