Alicia I love this movie so much

Micitype Pretty Good

ActuallyGlimmer The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

Jenna Walter The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

david-sarkies Now, Margret Pomenez, one of SBS's movie critics, says that this movie has an unforgettable sex scene. This is a shame because I was expecting something incredibly erotic, and what I got was a monk literally screwing a woman simply because he had not had sex in a long time. What it was was him falling to temptation rather than the beautiful act that occurs between two people in love. I guess that this is the whole point of the movie, and it was at its climax, but there was much more to this movie than a monk succumbing to his lust.Temptation of a Monk is set in 1626 in the Tang Dynasty and is focused on General Shi. He witnesses his emperor overthrown by his brother but is forbidden to seek revenge, so he flees to a monastery with some devoted followers to hide from his enemies. Unfortunately his enemies seem to always find him. The first monastery that he goes to is farcical as his followers, even though they become monks, behave in a very unmonklike manner, while Shi cannot handle being commanded by a boy. After he witnesses the princess and his lover murdered by his enemies, he flees to another monastery high in the mountains were he is cut off from all that is the real world. It is not until a woman who is dying comes to the monastery, and after her life is saved, she decides to stay. Only after Shi succumbs to his lust does he realise that she is in fact his enemy and has led the emperor's soldiers to the monastery.What impressed me about this movie was the beautiful cinematography. The story is hard to follow, and the fact that subtitles are there, the following movie is even harder. Despite that it is a beautifully made movie in which the costumes are beautifully constructed and the scenes marvellously put together. Unlike Pomenaz, I will not praise the sex scene, but rather praise the story of a man trying to flee from his enemies while taking up a lifestyle of abstention, which he is not used to. It is the psychology of Shi that makes this movie great, not the sex that he has with a woman at the end.

BeanPuncher One of the greatest non-Kurasawa movies of it's kind, this film has epic scope. The somewhat over the top action sequences are subtle compared to most Chinese films. It all fits and works well together. I viewed this film by accidentally recording it on DVR the first time. What really surprised me was the macho style warrior stuff. You wouldn't think a female director would pull off those stereotypically male sensibilities so well. The film takes several turns, has comedy, adventure, drama, and near the end becomes very spiritual. It's sad that more of the great movies being made in China, Korea, and Thailand don't get any press here in the states. The stream of regurgitated watered down garbage choking out of Hollywood can't compare to many of the movies from overseas these days. Perhaps one day the moguls will realize that people really respond to art and personal stories more than what star is in the film. The American movie audience isn't nearly as sedate as the marketing specialists think. We just don't have much of a choice.

lyone-fein This excellent film gives viewers an entry into some of China's religious cultural traditions--from the point of view of a very irreligious man. Beginning in a traditional Confucian setting, the film follows a successful military man as he finds himself at the mercy of the fickle politics that dominate the court of the T'ang Dynasty. Inadvertently manipulated into betraying some of the most fundamental values of Confucian virtue and filial piety, the main character is forced to go into hiding, taking refuge in a Buddhist monastary. Of course, "taking refuge" is a pun--for that is what it is called when a person converts to Buddhism--but for the central character it is quite literal.As he continues to live in his new environment, the former general finds himself struggling with profound inner questions about the kind of life he has lead up until now. Throughout the course of the film, even as he continuously tries to flee his former life, he is forced to confront and deal with the consequences of his many past actions. He learns the truth of the Buddhist teachings as, one by one, all the things that he held dear--his family, his lover, his pride--are taken from him.This is truly a sublime film that can speak to audiences on many levels: as beautiful cinema, as great art, as engrossing entertainment, and as an opportunity to reflect on some substantial questions.(P.S. This film also contains the most visually stunning sex scene I have ever seen.)

contronatura Though a little slow at times, Clara Law's Temptation of a Monk is a beautiful and well-acted epic, at times achieving a Kurosawa-esque level of stunning imagery and battle scenes. Joan Chen has two roles, one as a vibrant princess the other as a mysterious assassin. She is very good in both roles. This film is not perfect. The story ultimately doesn't go anywhere, for one. I must recommend it on the basis of its sheer beauty, however. And one battle scene in particular is terrifyingly beautiful. For fans of Kurosawa this is worth seeing. Others might grow restless, though.