Featured Audience Ratings

• xGary X

  
  The crown prince of a 10th century Chinese kingdom is summoned back to court when his father is assassinated and usurped by his uncle. Yet another Crouching Tiger wannabe starring the ubiquitous Zhang Ziyi, The Banquet is in fact a loose adaptation of Hamlet. I must admit to fearing… More
  The crown prince of a 10th century Chinese kingdom is summoned back to court when his father is assassinated and usurped by his uncle. Yet another Crouching Tiger wannabe starring the ubiquitous Zhang Ziyi, The Banquet is in fact a loose adaptation of Hamlet. I must admit to fearing the worst for the opening half of this film as it seemed to contain many of the same mistakes the very similar Curse Of The Golden Flower made in that it seemed to concentrate far more on overblown and superfluous set pieces and elaborate costumes than its plot and characters. Fortunately once the prince reaches the palace the story gets a kick start and the schemes and machinations of the various factions make for a much more interesting watch. It was nice to see Zhang Ziyi in a meatier role than the innocent porcelain doll she always seems to play and the supporting cast bring presence to their roles although it is often difficult to connect with any of them on an emotional level. It looks glorious, which is pretty much par for the course for this kind of thing and despite some pacing issues with the first half is a pretty decent stab at Oriental Shakespearian tragedy. Much better than the aforementioned Golden Flower, but obviously not in the same league as Kurosawa's forays into Bard territory.

• JY S

  
  Xiaogang Feng creates a loose adaptation of William Shakespeare's <i>Hamlet</i> known as <i>The Banquet</i>.<p>The story involves deceit, betrayal, and all the other good stuff in the royal court. It does have a play-like feel to it with a run time… More
  Xiaogang Feng creates a loose adaptation of William Shakespeare's <i>Hamlet</i> known as <i>The Banquet</i>.<p>The story involves deceit, betrayal, and all the other good stuff in the royal court. It does have a play-like feel to it with a run time of 2 hours and 10 minutes and a pace that is quite slow. Yes, the film does drag at times, however the cinematography, costuming, settings, and acting save this film from total boredom. Besides, the final 30 minutes, which is the banquet scene, is highly intriguing. Hence, <i>The Banquet</i>.</p><p>The action is minimal, and like mostly everything else in this film, very dramatic. Most of the shots are in slow motion and the orchestra type music tones down the bloody encounters. One of the sequences is more of a dance than a fight too. The martial arts choreography is there and it is a shame that a good portion of it isn't seen in real time speed.</p><p>The acting is good, albeit seemingly unemotional at times. Zhang Ziyi keeps the viewer at bay as she keeps switching sides with her actions. Daniel Wu, Zhou Xun, and Ge You round out the rest of the major cast.</p><p><i>The Banquet</i> is not the most entertaining of films, as it is mostly for people that enjoy theatrical arts. It is worth a check out if time allows.

• Bruce B

  
  Outstanding Movie, A Romeo & Jullet / Hamlet Story in Asian Theme, love the way people just float thur the air when fighting, much better then the ole school Kung Fu Movies (trash Can Lids). Rent or Buy you will not be sorry.

• Ginny  

  
  This movie is one hell of a masterpiece! Anyone who has a passion for theater arts would surely love this! Note: Get a copy with proper subtitles!!

• Ken S

  
  Very pretty...very indulgent...very whatever...

• Aliyanto L

  
  You can't have everything you wish because you will loose everything if you keep forcing it!

• Fascade F

  
  If you enjoyed movies like:"Curse of the Golden Flower", "Crouching Tiger : Hidden Dragon", you will be ready for this tale based upon the Japanese version of a Shakespearean type of tale. See this for the cinematography as well as the choreography, both were… More
  If you enjoyed movies like:"Curse of the Golden Flower", "Crouching Tiger : Hidden Dragon", you will be ready for this tale based upon the Japanese version of a Shakespearean type of tale. See this for the cinematography as well as the choreography, both were surreal!

• Donna D

  
  What a dramatic story! Very beautiful and choreographed movie. I loved the action sequences and stunning scenery. A love story with a tragic ending, it will captivate you. :) Awesome movie.

• Jonny C

  
  No kung-fu fighting this time from Ziyi Zhang. But theirs still plenty of action and some beautiful cinematography.

• Leo L

  
  An intriguing movie. Zhang Ziyi's most impressive performance ever. A must-see!

• Magnus X

  
  "Qing. Wuluan. It is I. I knew it when I sang the first line. Qing. Your Highness. Are you still alone? With you I am never alone." Brilliant fight scenes by the master Woo-ping Yuen. Fantastic photography, great set designs and a great cast with Ziyi Zhang (Empress Wan),… More
  "Qing. Wuluan. It is I. I knew it when I sang the first line. Qing. Your Highness. Are you still alone? With you I am never alone." Brilliant fight scenes by the master Woo-ping Yuen. Fantastic photography, great set designs and a great cast with Ziyi Zhang (Empress Wan), Prince Wuluan (Daniel Wu) and Xun Zhou (Qing Nu) among others. Great score by Tan Dun. A powerful and bloody epic drama, Hamlet chinese style.

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