Bingbing Li, Feng Yuangzheng, Kin Ei, Li Bingbing, Tôru Nakamura ...( see more  see more... ) , Ye Liu , Yuanzheng Feng , Ziyi Zhang

In Manchuria, Itami (Toru Nakamura), who's Japanese, falls in love with Cynthia (Ziyi Zhang), a beautiful Chinese girl, but dangerous politics threaten to keep the lovers apart. Their happiness ends w...( read more  read more... )hen Itami returns home for military service. Three years later, Shanghai is occupied by Japan. Unaware that Itami is in Shanghai working for Yamamato, the head of Japan's secret service, Cynthia joins a covert group with plans to kill Yamamoto.

Flixster Users

42% liked it

1,205 ratings

Critics

45% liked it

20 critics

R

Directed by: Ye Lou

Release Date: November 26, 2004

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DVD Release Date: February 15, 2005

Stats: 66 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (66)


  • September 9, 2009
    ummm couldnt sit and watch it... slow and boring. there was some bits of action, but i had no clue what the story line was about!
  • July 3, 2009
    Original title "Zi hudie"; Nominated, Golden Palm, 2003 Cannes Film Festival
  • September 25, 2008
    Purple Butterfly is quite an interesting watch. It isn't interesting in the way where the story just knocks your socks off or where the film just spans many genres. This is a straight up Chinese gangster drama with a different way of telling the story.

    This film is alm

    ...( read more)ost like a silent picture. The dialogue is down to a minimum and I mean bare minimum. This will turn away a lot of people, but the silent treatment benefits this film to some degree. You see, this would have turned out like any old Chinese crime drama if the dialogue was written in the usual way. Instead, you have to rely on the camerawork to tell the story.

    Of course, having the camerawork carry the film does have its downsides. The story, in the second half, is a little complex, but not impossible to figure out. The first 30 minutes is real easy to follow, since there isn't much in the way of story. It is all character buildup and it is a bit much if you ask me. It really does feel like the beginning of the story happens at around the 40 minute mark.

    The ending is a bit drawn out and the last 5-10 minutes seem unnecessary. It is because of this that the film reaches 2 hours. It is long, especially for a low dialogue picture.

    Zhang Ziyi does lead this film, although there are a few other characters with just as much airtime. All the actors feel bland and that is more the style of the movie rather than poor acting.

    This film will not cater to everyone and it does take a chance at doing something out of the ordinary. It's a good watch if you can stand the slow burn of 120 minutes.

  • August 26, 2008
    this movie is really really slow...and its practically a silent movie, you have to interpret everything, they barely speak.
  • January 16, 2008
    Muito bom filme...
    Ponto + = Atuação de Ziyi Zhang e o diretor foi fiel aos personagens.
    Ponto - = As cenas poderiam fluir melhor....o fundo histórico poderia ser melhor trabalhado.
  • January 2, 2008
    Me apaixonei pelo filme. Delicado e forte :)
  • November 20, 2007
    hak3.. form 3 history lessons..
  • August 7, 2007
    a bit hard to follow the first time watching it since there is a constant change in the film, but it is a very good film.

Critic Reviews


January 21, 2005
Ty Burr, Boston Globe

There are two movies battling for supremacy in Butterfly, and both lose. As does the audience. full review

November 29, 2004
A.O. Scott, The New York Times

Mr. Lou synthesizes a wide range of styles and influences -- from Casablanca to Wong Kar-wai -- resulting in a movie that, for all its haunting strangeness, seems curiously familiar. full review

View more Purple Butterfly (Zi hudie) reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments


  • dannycook123
    February 26, 2007
    All FANS of ZHANG ZIYI who are on BEBO please become a GROUPIE of ZHANG ZIYI's FAN page at,

    http://Zhang-Ziyi-Fans. bebo.com

    thanks.

    P.S Zhang Ziyi is rules.

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