Zhang Yimou is one of the greatest directors to come from Asia. His films have been predominantly been strong, character-driven drama. He’s dabbled in action, or wuxia (a genre of Chinese fiction or cinema featuring itinerant warriors of ancient China, often depicted as capable of superhuman feats of martial arts), with the international hits Hero (2002) and House of Flying Daggers (2004). After the major disappointment of The Great Wall (2016), Yimou returned with a smaller, more personal film. Shadow wound up with twelve Golden Horse Awards nominations, taking home four, including best director. These awards are most certainly well deserved since it’s a visually striking film with some very powerful performances and images.
Many years ago, there was a kingdom known as Pei. During a battle they lost the city to a rival kingdom, Yang. A duel between the two commanders was the deciding factor and Ziyu (Deng Chao) was defeated. Going behind the king’s back, he challenges the undefeated Yang Cang (Hu Jun) to a rematch. King Pei (Zheng Kai) is angry about this and strips Ziyu of his commander position. This event will start a chain reaction that will lead the two kingdoms back into a war over the city of Jingzhou. Lives will be lost, alliances destroyed, and secrets will be revealed. Only one kingdom can prevail and the question will be: which one?
Shadow has, in a sense, been marketed as an action picture, which it most certainly is not. There are several action elements, and most of the final act is one major battle sequence. The build-up to the battle is quite an emotional roller coaster, the characters are put through the ringer, and the performances are top-notch. I kept the plot summary as vague as I possibly could without giving away anything that could take away some of the surprises that await the audience within.
Yimou is best known for his art house films, and this is no exception. Shadow is beautifully shot with very minimal color. In fact, the only colors used are black, white, and gray. The actor’s skin tone is obviously visible and an occasional fire contrasts brilliantly with the dark, drab images he’s created. When the blades begin to slice into flesh, the blood splashes across the screen, accented by the murkiness of the rain-soaked images. It’s really a stunning picture, one to marvel at for its unique look, as well as the depth and the drama of the script.
Zhang Yimou may have struck out (financially) with The Great Wall, but he has struck back with Shadow, proving once again why he’s one of the greatest talents working in world cinema today.
Shadow is available now on DVD/Blu-ray/4K/Digital from WellGo USA!
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