Chinese cinema has not often been known for grand, historical epics, but hang onto your hats, folks – this film project was massive in scale and budget and it shows. Personally, I prefer my foreign films to emphasize distinctions in relation to Hollywood (like stronger stories, stronger themes, or more innovative filming techniques) rather than trying to out-Hollywood Hollywood. Nevertheless, when foreign directors do try to play the game Hollywood’s way, their work deserves fair and balanced consideration.

Historical Background: Chen Kaige belongs to the so-called “fifth generation” of Chinese directors. He was one of the first to come to the attention of Western audiences and his films from 1986 through 1992 were low budget art house affairs known for their striking visual images. They included Yellow Earth (1986), The Big Parade (1987), and Life on a String (1992). After 1992, we can see Chen gradually transitioning toward films of greater scope, facilitated by larger budgets. Farewell My Concubine (1993) was a step in that direction and Temptress Moon (1996) even more so. The memorable Farewell My Concubine received the Palme d’Or at Cannes in 1993 – high praise indeed! Then, in 1999, Chen directed this film, The Emperor and the Assassin, with its truly epic grandeur and proportions. Whether this trend in Chen’s films represents a progression or a regression is something that each viewer will need to judge on their own based on personal taste.

For the subject matter of The Emperor and the Assassin, Chen chose a highly significant period in Chinese history that culminated in the unification of China and the first Chinese imperial dynasty. It is the third century B.C. and the more than 550 dynastic kingdoms that had once existed have been pared down by consolidating conquests to just seven. One of those seven, the Kingdom of Qin, is ruled over by Emperor Ying Zheng, who is obsessed with the idea of unification of all that is under the heavens – meaning, for China of that time, the seven remaining kingdoms. That Ying Zheng succeeded is a matter of historical record, so, to that extent, spoiler or not, the outcome of the story is known in advance. Ying Zheng’s tomb was discovered during the 1990’s, in Xian, China, so we also know his personal endpoint. The tomb is noteworthy for the thousands of guards composed of terra-cotta that perpetually guard the tomb.

The Story: Ying Zheng (Li Xuejian), King Of Qin, grew up in the Kingdom of Zhao because his father, the previous King of Qin, had been captured and held hostage there. Ying Zheng’s mother, the Queen Mother (Yongfei Gu), was a native of Zhao. Growing up in Zhao, Ying Zheng had a female playmate who is now his mistress, Lady Zhao (Gong Li). When Ying Zheng was finally permitted to return to Qin, Lady Zhao, out of loyalty to him, had gone with him. The Queen Mother also has two young illegitimate sons by her lover, Marquis Changxin (Zhiwen Wang), who was once a mere servant of the Prime Minister.

Ying Zheng is committed to unification of the seven kingdoms. It is a sacred commitment that has been handed down from generation to generation through the Qin royal line. His first target is the Kingdom of Han and his troops are poised at the Han capital for a final assault. Few of Ying Zheng’s closest associates are supportive of his plans for conquest. The Queen Mother sees it as a threat to her native kingdom of Zhao, the likely target after Han falls. She and the Marquis gain the support of the Prime Minister, but Ying Zheng is not to be denied.

Lady Zhao is also doubtful, but Ying Zheng gains her support by describing to her his vision of a unified China living in peace and prosperity with no more bloodshed. Lady Zhao is so taken by her lover’s idealistic vision that she determines to do what she can to help. The conquest of Han will secure the north but Ying Zheng needs an excuse to attack Yan, to the south, or else the remaining southern kingdoms will unite against Qin in defense of Yan. Lady Zhao volunteers to provide that excuse. She has herself branded on the face (as though she had been punished by Ying Zheng) and “flees” with the captive Prince of Yan, Dan (Zhou Sun), to the Kingdom of Yan. There, she will organize an assassination attempt against the life of Ying Zheng, warning him in advance, and thus providing his “justification” for attacking Yan. Pretty sneaky!

One problem, however. Ying Zheng’s apparent idealism turns out to be mostly for Lady Zhao’s benefit. In her absence, Ying Zheng gradually becomes increasingly bloodthirsty. After the fall of Han, Ying Zheng weathers a coup attempt by the Marquis and slaughters all of the participating soldiers as well as the Marquis and his own young half-brothers. He next turns his attention to Zhao, where both Lady Zhao and the Queen Mother were born. Ying Zheng, however, feels no compunction on their behalf and, in fact, is particularly embittered and vengeful toward the kingdom where he was himself once held hostage and poorly treated. The King of Zhao, bless his heart, has determined that Zhao will never surrender and is prepared even to sacrifice the children of his own people if defeat seems imminent. As Zhao falls, the children are ordered to jump from the castle wall to their deaths. The few that are taken alive by the Qin forces are then buried alive – to make sure that they will not grow up to seek revenge, even as Ying Zheng himself has grown up to take his revenge against Zhao.

When Lady Zhao discovers Ying Zheng’s treachery against her own people, she turns against Ying Zheng. She will now try to hatch an assassination plot in earnest. She selects Jing Ke, a man of great skill and composure. When Lady Zhao first encounters Jing Ke, he has sworn off killing, since he is tormented by visions of a young, innocent blind girl who had committed suicide after Jing Ke had put her entire family to death. Jing Ke is attempting a fresh start in life as a farmer but he agrees to come out of retirement from the assassination business when he hears about the children put to death by Ying Zheng.

That’s a bare bones outline of the plot but there are a few “secrets” that I won’t reveal and, of course, the outcome of the assassination plot.

Themes: There’s nothing very subtle here by way of a theme: Megalomaniacs with expansionist dreams of conquest and domination resort to brutality to achieve their ends. It’s a lesson taught over and over again by history. It’s a lesson of little use to those too close at hand when despots arise. We’re more likely to be mowed down by megalomaniacs than able to stop them. Nevertheless, thus far in the course of history, there’s always been some group at an adequate distance from the despot to have adequate time to prepare a stand. Sooner or later, despots or their successors fall. The Emperor and the Assassin also makes that point that there is a thin line between visionary ideals and brutal injustice. Measure visionaries by their actions sooner than their words.

Production Values: The Emperor and the Assassin has many strengths as a film and a smaller number of troublesome weaknesses. Foremost among the strengths is the convincing period detail built into the locales, the costumes, the battle scenes, and the courts. A great deal of attention has been paid to authenticity. Even the music gives a sense of the period. As an historical epic, The Emperor and the Assassin is highly effective because of these elements. The cinematography is quite good for the most part, successfully drinking in the period details. One weakness is the editing. The jump-cuts are sometimes disconcertingly abrupt, making it difficult to keep up with passages of time or changes in venue.

One nice aspect of The Emperor and the Assassin in comparison with most Hollywood epics is that the characters are not trivialized into all black or all white. Each of the main characters in this film is gray, though some darker gray than others. Ying Zheng is a brutal murderer but longs to unify his country to reduce future strife. Lady Zhao engages in plots and intrigues but finally takes a stand against brutality. Jing Ke, when we first encounter him, is as a heartless assassin, but he later tries to become the instrument of justice for the slaughter of the children of Zhao.

The performances are, for the most part, a strength. Gong Li gives her usual highly professional performance as Lady Zhao. Gong Li ranks among the top actresses in the world, with appearances in Red Sorghum (1987), Ju Dou (1989), Raise the Red Lantern (1991), Farewell My Concubine (1993), and Temptress Moon (1996). I don’t rank her performance here in The Emperor and the Assassin among her best, but it is certainly no embarrassment to her either. I thought Zhang Fengyi excellent as Jing Ke. He has something of a Clint Eastwood coolness and toughness about him. He previously appeared in Farewell My Concubine as well. I also give very high marks to Zhiwen Wang as the Marquis. His facial expressions were a delight to observe. Yongfei Gu as the Queen Mother was very convincing. The secondary characters were also well played.

The one role that I didn’t care for at all was Li Xuejian as the King of Qin, Ying Zheng. It is not always possible to tell, in such situations, how much of the problem lies in the scripting of the character and how much in the performance, but I found this character completely unconvincing. We see him, at times, as a tough, brutal warrior. In some scenes, he literally leads his troops into battle. Then, at other times, he behaves like a frightened or whining pup of dubious mental soundness. I just don’t buy that a man hardened by brutal hand-to-hand combat breaks down when confronted by “secrets” or plots. One or the other, but not both.

The range of emotions exhibited by Ying Zheng are simply not credible and, partly as a result of the flaws in this central character, the melodrama of The Emperor and the Assassin is not particularly engaging. It has nowhere near the emotional depth of, say, Farewell My Concubine. It all seems so puffed up and artificial. The period historical epic is a serving of fine cake but it’s been spoiled somewhat by cheap frosting.

Bottom-Line: The Emperor and the Assassin is basically a mix of historical epic and melodrama. This is a mixture frequently utilized in both films and theater (e.g., Shakespeare's King Lear and Henry Vth) to render history lessons more palatable by introducing soap opera-like personal drama. At their best, such films or plays can be compelling at both levels. The Emperor and the Assassin, in my judgment is a five-star film as an historical epic but barely a three-star film as melodrama. I’ve rated it at four stars overall, but it comes by those four stars by way of compromise between its very strong qualities as a period piece and its glaring weaknesses as a character drama. The production values are likewise a mix of five-star costumes, sets, locales, and soundtrack and three-star editing. The Emperor and the Assassin is in Chinese with English subtitles and has a running time of 161 minutes.


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You might want to check out these other excellent films from China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan:

Chungking Express
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Eat Drink Man Woman
Fallen Angels
Farewell My Concubine
Hero
In the Mood for Love
Raise the Red Lantern
Red Sorghum
Road Home
Shanghai Triad
The Story of Qiu Ju
Temptress Moon
Together
To Live
What Time is it There?
The Women From the Lake of Scented Souls
Yi Yi

Recommended:
Yes

Video Occasion: Good for a Rainy Day
Suitability For Children: Not suitable for Children of any age