Curse of the Golden Flower (R, 2006)
common sense media says
Violent, operatic saga of cruelty and revenge.
parents & educators say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that kids who liked Hero or House of Flying Daggers will want to see this movie. But while Zhang Yimou directed all of them, this new film is very different -- it's less focused on the martial arts action than on adult themes like betrayal and revenge. Violence includes poisoning, swordfights, knifings, and armies of assassins mustered for combat on palace. There are plenty of bloody results all around.
Violence:
The emperor is poisoning his wife with a fungus in her medicine (she coughs and faints occasionally); swordplay is swift, bloody, and climactic; characters have scars/brands indicating previous abuses; some one-on-one fighting (punching, slapping, kicking); assault by army of assassins features flaming arrows, hooks, spears, knives, and swords; a character stabs himself in the throat (he lives, with bloody bandages visible in later scenes); a character commits suicide by slashing his own throat (gruesome but brief).
Sex:
The empress is having an affair with her stepson; Wan and Chan have secret affair (they're surprised while half-dressed); the empress' cleavage is frequently visible.
Language:
Not applicable.
Consumerism:
Not applicable.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
Not applicable.
More on Curse of the Golden Flower
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Most useful reviews by all members
Stephen Haines
adult
adult
It's a movie! It's a soap opera! It's a hoot!
The story of betrayal among family is not new. This film tells the tale in high soap opera style. It's high camp as well. While kids will go for the CGI arrows and hooks, adults will get quite a few laughs because, just when one thinks it can't get any hammier, it lays it on even thicker. A beautiful film just the same. Not to everyone's taste, obviously, since it came and went with striking swiftness.
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soluxe
teen, 18 years old
teen, 18 years old
I thought this movie was a total waste of time..
I was dragged to this movie on vacation when I was 13 and I really did not like it. (I watched it in Taiwan, and it was rated PG there, so I did not expect so much violence) The props were extravagent, but the plot was basically filled with conspiracies against the royal people, violence, incest, etc. It was a pointless film and did not end happily.
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