"Shadow Warrior" (1980) inspired Zhang Yimou: "Kurozawa Akira's Shadow Warrior is dead, we want him to live ."
As an inescapable existence in Chinese film history, Zhang Yimou's creation can be roughly divided into two stages: his debut "Red Sorghum" (1988) ignites the flame of love and resistance; Hanging High" (1991) and "Alive" (1994) focus on women's suffering and the struggle at the bottom——
In 1999, "No One Can Be Missed" used a way of dispelling the real dilemma in the way of everyone's happiness. Taking this as a watershed, Zhang Yimou bid farewell to the enlightenment tradition that was in full swing in the 1980s, and the power worship of "Hero" (2002) was jaw-dropping.
Pulled away from the specific historical situation, the grand narrative of "Heroes" has become a castle in the air. Jing Ke and Gao Jianli were also shot while lying down: you and others did not know the overall situation of the world, and the happy time of peace was almost wiped out.
This theory is established, Wu Sanguicheng can be described as a hero of heaven and earth. Wu Zongbing, who had lost his lover Chen Yuanyuan, turned his grief into strength, and took the stinking for thousands of years.
Several "heroes" either entrust their lives to Shuzi lightly, or they have little knowledge, and they talk extravagantly about the world with the King of Qin, just like those poor scholars who call the emperor's old man his confidant.
what world? The world has been suffering for Qin for a long time: Bolang Jinzhu, unfortunately not the emperor of Qin!
Human nature is reliable, why do you need a system?
After 16 years, Laomouzi has turned again, and "Shadow" has returned to the tradition of sympathizing with the weak and criticizing power, which makes people happy and worrying!
The imperial drama is like a sea of smoke, and the best shot is actually the Italian's "The Last Emperor" (1987):
Emperors are human beings, but not normal people. Since the Qin Dynasty, emperors have all been thieves. Only emperors who died or abdicated were good emperors.
Why let the shadow live?
King Pei, Governor, Xiao Ai, and Governor Shadow are caught in the whirlpool of power. Unless they sit still, any self-rescue can only be to constantly hurt others.
The director's sympathy for the weak retains the necessary restraint. The reversal at the end of the film is particularly shocking. It is not that the shadow governor does not love Xiao Ai, but he can't love him who was kidnapped by power: we can betray the governor, how do we know you who have insight into the whole process of usurping the throne won't betray me?
The counter-attack of the shadow governor can be called the epitome of history: the dynasties of all dynasties have fallen into a vicious circle of "prosperity and sudden death". A group of weak replaces a group of strong, ushering in the next wave of resistance amid corruption and depravity. All the jades are burnt, and the cycle begins again and again.
At a glance, what Xiao Ai saw was not a lover, but the cold-blooded and ruthless power of power:
Similar to "The Last Emperor", "Shadow" captures the essence of the emperor: the prisoner of power, the hostage of history.
Without being a victim, you can only sacrifice others. This is the game of power, the logic of power.
Any art is first and foremost a work of craftsmanship. Zhang Yimou's early works and creative peaks used the lens to capture the ideological sparks of Mo Yan, Su Tong, and Yu Hua.
Leaving the excellent original literary works, Laomouzi was a little unaccustomed to the soil and water, and his return and the landslide in his skills seemed so "thrilling"!
The advanced concept of "Shadow" does not match the quality of the film itself. The ink painting style is limited in stunning images, there are too many indoor scenes, and there is a lack of information and large scenes. The Dudu couple's qin art performance, which was just an embellishment, has become the highlight. The lines of "more than a dozen people"——
Either more than a dozen people, or more than a dozen people, what does "more than a dozen people" mean?
This flaw shows the decline of the director's overall control, and the half-literal lines are so embarrassing that the audience is horrified:
"I was alone in the dark, touching every crack in the wall, in order not to drive myself crazy, to prove that I was alive."
"You can go and see the beauty of the world for me..."
Convulsively twisting to the enemy to express Yin and Yang?
Take a look at the level of "Shadow Warrior":
Oda Nobunaga learned that Takeda Shingen had already died three years ago, and was shocked, relieved, and sympathetic to each other——
He sings and dances with mixed feelings: "Life is fifty years in the world, and the world is an instant. Life is but a dream of Nanke, and an illusion; life has boundaries, and it must be exhausted."
The sadness of the shadow samurai at the height of the cold meets the emptiness of Oda Nobunaga's life: What does life mean? Countless brave lives are flowing with endless blood, do they really have such great significance?
In the beacon fire of conquering the world, in addition to killing, intrigue and desire, there is also the struggle and reflection of human nature.
In "Red Sorghum", a Japanese soldier jumps out of the car and asks for a cigarette. Although the posture is a little stiff, this inconspicuous scene is still full of emotion. Our directors are finally starting to respect the audience's respect for art, trying to give the film an authentic texture.
Symbols and metaphors, no matter how profound and great, must be attached to solid details.
The advantages and disadvantages of "Shadow" are obvious. The director resolutely returns to the traditional attitude, which makes people full of expectations for his next work.
View more about Shadow reviews
