Teringer An Exercise In Nonsense

TrueHello Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

Kien Navarro Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

Marva It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

laojim The civil war in China during the first half of the last century from which the Communists emerged victorious left much of the history of the nation problematical. The entire social structure was brought into question and one of the thornier question was the status of Confucius and his teachings. The response of Mao and his comrades was to suppress Confucius and the philosophy that was built on his writings. This was done with the clear intention of infusing the nation with a quite different philosophy.Confucianism, therefore, was suppressed if not entirely outlawed until relatively recent times. It is clearly the intent of this movie to, as we say, rehabilitate Confucius in popular culture. Anyone who has read some of his writings will understand that he is at heart a conservative teacher who appeals to peoples understanding of what they are supposed to do, which is to say that he does not tell people to do this and that but he admonished them to behave properly and to do what is right. You will know what is right if you are a part of Chinese culture and so if you are told to do the right thing then you are being asked, in effect, to be very conservative.With this understanding we see Confucius taking the side of a lad who escaped being buried alive and arguing in from of assembled scholars that he should be set free. In this way Confucius is shown, not as a conservative, but as a radical reformer for the good of the people. He is thereafter persecuted for his radical ideas. This is an interpretation that while not entirely absurd is quite a contrast to the traditional image of Confucius as the old man fussing about how his mat is set out and how the nobles need to be virtuous.It may well be coincidental, but to the American viewer one of the odd elements of this film is the opening and closing theme. We see Confucius sitting and gazing out a window while the orchestra plays a melody that most Americans will recognize as "School Days." The story and the portrayal of the characters is attractive and I don't mean to imply that there is anything false in the tale. I don't know Chinese history or the writings of Confucius well enough to make such a claim. I do think that the movie should be seen in the modern historical context of the rehabilitation of Confucius as a popular figure or cultural hero by the government of the People's Republic.If you know nothing about the times or the man this film will make an excellent introduction, keeping in mind only that it is about a man who has had a vast and generally highly conservative influence.

blackmamba99971 Chow Yun Fat gives a great performance as the sage adviser to his kingdom. Confuciusism, is based upon the teachings of Confucius himself with his literal way of explaining peace through politics, and philosophy as well as many forms of poetry and mathematics. Yet he was exiled out of Lu, because of his idealism of tearing down three major walls which house both nobles and commoners became a dangerous reality. His own king realized the implications of leaving themselves vulnerable to enemies which in turn got Confucius exiled to wander for years in the vast open lands. Leaving behind his wife and family at least to keep them from the dangers of the plains. Yet in the frustrations back home in Lu, the king then comes to his own realization that sending his only true adviser was a mistake. So, he sends out many patrols and reconnaissance teams to bring back Confucius to the turbulent times. I like this movie for its brilliant history about the only man other than Ghandi to stop the killing without using violence. Although Confucius himself accepted the invitation to come back home, he did however refuse to be involved in any politics what so ever. His teachings became a mainstay to future students who believe that pacifism is more powerful than using brute chaos. The old adage is, the pen is mightier than the sword. Chow Yun Fat gives his most powerful performance to date with this film, and I would like to see him in another of such great leaders, and scholars of the times. The music was top notch, as well as the CGI battle scenes using thousands of soldiers which engaged in battle. Forgivness is the breath of life, and seeing two friends make up is worth more to see it rather than reading it. Excellent movie. I highly recommend this to anyone who still believes that peace is the ultimate winner.

badajoz-1 An interesting look at the life of someone everybody thinks they know, but , in fact, know very little about. In and around 500BC, in a small kingdom within China, lived a man whose teachings and philosophy have underpinned Chinese thoughts for millenia - well, that's what they say, but Mao must have forgotten to read it, or subverted the bits about dictators and oppressors! There is action in the first half, but the second half drags as the hero wanders around China in exile - presumably most Chinese would be aware of the stories and events depicted, but they do not grab the audience particularly. Chow Yun Fat acts tremendously well, but is hamstrung by the saintliness of the depiction. In fact, much of the film reminded me of a cross between 'El Cid' and 'King of Kings' as a man battles with his beliefs in a time of great strife and trouble. Certainly it portrays a lot of Christian teaching without the deification element in Western culture. But we do not learn really enough about why he became so influential, and why his teaching was so radical. Guess I'll have to look on Wikipedia!

GwydionMW Confucius lived in violent times. He is shown reacting and taking moral stands, often putting himself at risk. And also suffering and losing, which makes it much more realistic. Probably it isn't accurate historically, but there is also not much solid detail about his life. (And no one can be sure if Lao Tzu even existed, never mind teaching Confucius, as is done here.) The man's sentiments have been somewhat modernized, but not unreasonably so. It does show what was positive about him, given the era he lived in.The film begins with Confucius as an old man, thinking back. Then we see him in his early 50s, being promoted from Major to Minister for Law in his home state of Lu. He is confronted with ethical issues after saving a slave-boy who was due to be buried alive with his former master who has just died. The story then takes many twists and turns and remains interesting.