Movie: The Promise

I couldn't keep my final verdict of the movie for last. I have to say it here in the opening paragraph, because it's just amazing! I'm giving it 10-out-of-10.

The Promise certainly ranks high in my all-time favourites. The storyline, the characters, the beautiful sceneries, everything was great. The story is revolves around a girl, Qing Cheng (played by Cecilia Cheung), who when fatefully met a goddess while she was a child and offered two life choices, chose to live a materially fulfilled life. In return, she will never have her true love until all the cherry blossoms fell, the moon and sun appears side by side, the dead could live again and time could turn backwards.

The movie doesn't explore its various themes too deeply, and this is what makes it so likeable. A lot of the scenes do not exactly turn out as one would expect. In that sense, it is refreshingly entertaining and even funny at times. General Guang Ming and Wu Huan are the two "twisted" characters that you would learn to love.

Cecilia looks wonderful in traditional clothes, as much as she did in The Lion Roars. She did a good job portraying the sensual Qing Cheng. Nicholas Tse, on the other hand, showed that he is not just a handsome idol by giving a commendable performance playing the character of Wu Huan. Jang Dong-kun is Kunlun the slave, and it was said that he learnt Mandarin (he's a Korean) so that his part would be more realistic. And certainly not forgetting to mention Hiroyuki Sanada as General Guang Ming.

Directed by Chen Kaige, The Promise is the most expensive Chinese movie to-date. The money was certainly well spent. I strongly recommend everyone to watch the movie.





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