MovieChat Forums > Mo gong (2006) Discussion > Good film, not that great

Good film, not that great

posted 17 years ago by vintine
8 replies | jump to latest

Just watched this movie last Tuesday in Beijing. I think the
script and acting was great, however,the director focuses too much
on the war and strategic planning part, but still want to put some
romance in it.

To me I think the romance part is too hush and makes
viewers felt farfetched. Maybe the director wants to tell the
viewers so much,consequently,the editing makes the audiences
sometimes feel weird, although this movie is like 2 hour and
a half long... Anyway,overall: a good movie, but not that great.

*beep* the Mainstream!

[–] au_chunyeung 17 years ago

yeah i think the romance part is just too commercial ! and its extremely inaccurate since no women could have that kind of social status at that time especially a general ! u just wont love the movie if u r a die hard history fans.

[–] dont_b_so_BBC 17 years ago

I didn't find the romance odd or out-of-place, and neither did my audience, who laughed WITH the female cavalier. I think some people either caught the "signs" much quicker, or just had the right kind of expectations for this movie (sort-of a HK action-fantasy with historical under-pinnings?).

For me, it may be because I don't buy the myth that Chinese society has been the same for the last 3000 years, and because I know there are many poems about indoor and outdoor "meetings/ trysts" in the Book of Poetry (compiled before the Warring States era).

The movie is not so much great as "special", because it takes its inspiration from the Book of Mozi (compiled during the Warring States era), which told us many things not recorded or taught by the other school of teachings-- like mobilizing civilians for city defence, female conscription, etc.

That's not to say the movie was historically accurate as far as Warring States era or the Book of Mozi is concerned. Warring States era history is hopeless incomplete thanks to First Emperor Qin's book-burning, so it's quite interesting to look Warring States era China through Mozi's eyes.

SPOILERS

I mean, when Ge Li gets hurt by simply falling down (instead of "flying")-- you known this is not yet another of those Chinese movies which dresses up the same story/ themes in different costumes/ settings. The peasants/ commoners actually get as much screen time as some of the main characters.

[–] toyguy 17 years ago

Well, I read a lot of post for other Wuxia films where people are complaining about CGI, crazy wirework stunts, and so on. Well, this is about as real as it gets. People don't have superhuman powers, and if you get stabbed you die. The story even though fictional, is historically significant. Stories such as these probably could've taken place during Warring States.

As for the brief romance side story, I think it was bearable. Do soldiers fall in love when they go off to war? Sure they do! But they didn't even consumate their love for each other. And **spoiler** there's no happy ending for the 2 of them. But at least there's no gratuitous sex scene where we have to see Zhang Ziyi sleeping with some guy(s): Crouching Tiger, Hero, House of Flying Daggers, etc. The girl general kept her clothes on, and story concentrated mainly on the siege.

As for the movie overall, if not great, I'd say "very good". Definitely better than good. =)

[–] nobuff 17 years ago

why get together some of asia's top film stars
and make a hollywood product? i say leave that
junk up to the capital!
the film didn't bore me, but i wouldn't recommend
it to anyone, not even fans of andy lau.

[–] solid_steal 17 years ago

I love that little romance subplot in the story, Andy Lau was able to save the whole city but wasn't able to save his loved one, what a tragedy, what an irony... Yes, I guess it is quite cliched, but at least the girl died, which is pretty different and special comparing to 99% of hollywood anciet epic products out there...

[–] dont_b_so_BBC 17 years ago

why get together some of asia's top film stars and make a hollywood product? i say leave that junk up to the capital!
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How does "Battle of Wits" resemble a Hollywood product? Considering that "Battle of Wits" has rather limited production values, that would be a compliment!

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the film didn't bore me, but i wouldn't recommend it to anyone, not even fans of andy lau.
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Strange. Most Andy Lau fans liked it (checkout his fan websites, etc..) because he plays a heroic lead.

[–] Don_nando 16 years ago

I'd say good, very good maybe... but actually not a great one.

[–] lyx-1 15 years ago

It's a really good film, but it could have been GREAT if the directing is better. The heart of the film is in the right place, but the morality is too in-your-face. There isn't tension, ambiguity, and this is too black and white. A director like Ang Lee would have brought a lot more out of the characters, I feel. In the end, the battle scenes, though good, are secondary to the metaphysics of the philosophy, and this needs a different hand.