Shadow

[peter]

Zhang Yimou's superbly shot and choreographed film Shadow hasn't got either the colour or the ease of access (in terms of story) of his earlier contributions to the western film market (think Hero or House of Flying Daggers) , but it's slower pace and more subtlety nuanced tale makes for by no means a lesser film when taken in the round.

Cast in an altogether more grey landscape, the film slowly unveils its plot, but is none the less gripping for that. The tale involves the attempts of a 'shadow' (a dopelganger substitute) Commander to win back a province for his weak king, and in the process win freedom for himself to return to his own mother who believes him dead. Problems arise when he falls in love with the wife of the true Commander who is in hiding while recovering from a serious wound inflicted by the enemy kingdom's General, while simultaneously falling foul of his own vacillating king. The Shadow finds himself torn between his honour to serve his true Commander master, his worthless king and his crushing desire for the wife he can never touch.

This is not a film for those who demand Crouching Tiger levels of pace and visualisation - but if held transfixed by a soft grey-wash chinese mountain scene or a perfectly executed single line calligraphy stroke, then this could be just the ticket for you.