At that time, there were overwhelming complaints and spoofs, but now they are "turning over the case" again? So, how should we evaluate Promise rationally?
First of all, from the perspectives of photography, images, and technology, Promise was absolutely excellent at the time, and the whole shooting was very artistic and beautiful.
From the perspective of casting, Promise was a failure. The director Chen Kaige blindly "fascinated foreigners," with Korean and Japanese actors starring, then Hong Kong actors, and finally the Golden Horse actor from mainland China as the villain. Of course, it was also the snobbery created by the reality of the entertainment industry at that time.
Moreover, from the perspective of the plot, the story is very moral and magical, but the story is too "romantic and aesthetic", which makes it difficult for the audience to bring in, and it is difficult to digest these stories. It is purely a star to watch. If the director smooths the rhythm and reduces the bells and whistles, the audience will naturally become a good show when they enter the play. Zhang Yimou also criticizes Zhang Yimou. After all, the plot is the first priority.
All in all, it is a good film artistically, and the story is a mess. As a sword of Chen Kaige, who is highly regarded by the public, this sword is not sharp and eye-catching.
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