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.
Nominated for 1 Oscar. 20 wins & 34 nominations total
Top Critics Reviews
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,
12 Jan 2007
fresh:
Curse is straightforward and solemn, lacking not for spectacle but for humor and a humanizing touch.
– Terry Lawson,
Detroit Free Press,
12 Jan 2007
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,
12 Jan 2007
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,
12 Jan 2007
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.