Rotten
To put a point to it, the lavish period costumes, operatic mise-en-scene and ceremonial grandeur of Curse of the Golden Flower clashes fatally with the nuanced nastiness of modern marital discord.
Andrew Sarris, New York Observer
Curse of the Golden Flower
Unspeakable secrets are hidden within the Forbidden City.
2006 · 1h 54m · R
Action, Drama, Fantasy
Directed by
Zhang Yimou
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Curse of the Golden Flower
Overview
During China's Tang dynasty the emperor has taken the princess of a neighboring province as his wife. She has borne him two sons and raised his eldest. Now his control over his dominion is complete, including the royal family itself.
Director and cast
Critics on Rotten Tomatoes
Top critics, in their words
65%
Tomatometer
Fresh
For all the swordplay and martial-arts fisticuffs, Curse is its most delirious as a lavish argument for the soap opera's roots in Greek tragedy.
Lisa Kennedy, Denver Post
Fresh
This spectacularly decorated movie offers the enjoyment of watching Zhang chronicle the lives of one very nutty family. It also allows Zhang to load every inch of the screen with images so full that you half expect them to collapse under their own weight.
Robert Denerstein, Denver Rocky Mountain News
Fresh
Curse is straightforward and solemn, lacking not for spectacle but for humor and a humanizing touch.
Terry Lawson, Detroit Free Press
Rotten
Make no mistake, all is epic, violent, bloody madness once the director hits his stride, and fans of Zhang's work will not want to miss Curse of the Golden Flower. But brush strokes are amiss here.
Tom Long, Detroit News
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