A 2015 released Chinese film that follows the story of a young assassin. She was sent to a monastery as a child and trained to be one of the best assassins. But while her skills and technique are unrivaled, her mentor questions her resolve. While I have not seen any Terrence Malick films, my preconceived notion about what his films look and feel like were manifested here. The film is set in 9th century China during a transition from the strength of an imperial dynasty to provincial independence. Our assassin has an assignment. While the story is strong, the presentation is lots of extended pans from a tree, across a lake, to another tree. It felt like B-roll of scenery. Or an actor close-up, a line delivered, and a 20 second silent pull out. It elevated the landscape and characters to a position above the story/plot. So beautiful, arty, slow. But the gravitas of the characters dilemma did not require this much time for the viewer to contemplate or struggle.
2 stars (out of 5)
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