 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
House of Flying Daggers
- Review Date: April 14, 2005
- PG-13
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- 2004
Common Sense Media says
Gorgeous, but also very violent.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this movie is violent. The fight scenes are beautiful but deadly, with graphic injuries and many deaths. There are sexual references and situations including a scene in a brothel and attempted sexual assault. A strength of the movie is its portrayal of women and of Chinese men and women as strong, brave, and loyal.
What's the story?
In HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS, an officer about to arrest a beautiful blind dancer who works in a brothel tells her that if she can win the "Echo Game" he will let her go. She is surrounded by 100 drums. As the officer tosses stones at the drums, she must listen carefully to replicate the patterns of the sounds through her dance by tossing her long satin sleeves to strike the drums in the same precise rhythms. Her arm sweeps across so that the sleeve extends far enough to pull the officer's sword from its sheath. And then things really start to heat up. In the brothel, a drunken playboy tries to rip the clothes off of the blind dancer, Mei (Ziyi Zhang), but an officer arrives to arrest them both. Mei shows her prowess in the Echo Game, but she is arrested anyway when she attacks the officer. It seems she is an operative for the rebel House of Flying Daggers. She is about to be tortured when she is rescued by the drunken playboy, who tells her he is on her side. They escape together, followed by the soldiers. And like all movie journeys, the characters are on a spiritual quest as they travel. Love and loyalty will be tested and lessons will be learned.
Is it any good?
Director Yimou Zhang (Hero, Raise the Red Lantern) is a master of ravishing, rapturous images drenched with glowing, jewel-like colors, unfurling like a rich tapestry. The fight scenes are dramatic, as much a part of telling the story and revealing the characters as the dialogue and the plot. And they are beautiful, like exquisite blood-soaked ballets.
The confrontations and battle scenes reveal the characters and move the story forward as they dazzle us with breathtaking images and stunning stuntwork. A shower of daggers, a bamboo-forest skirmish that looks like it was choreographed by Cirque du Soleil, and a final encounter in a snow-covered field are striking, moving, and dramatic all at the same time. But the most exquisite image of all is the face of Ziyi Zhang, a brilliant actress, a classically trained dancer, and a fearless combatant. The story may seem unfinished (there is one shot of an advancing army that leaves us wondering what happened next), but ultimately it is as spare and graceful as a calligraphic symbol.
Explore, discuss, enjoy
Families can talk about the difficult choices presented to Mei, Jin, and Leo. How did they decide on what was most important to them?
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Teen, 16 years old
April 9, 2008
AGE
Really Good
This movie is really good. It was more violent than any other movies like this I've seen, and there are some heavy kissing scenes, but overall it is a great movie.
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Teen, 15 years old
April 9, 2008
AGE
Good
House of Flying Daggers wasn't as good as some other martial arts films like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon but it was still a beautifully made film. The first half was just okay, but the second half was excellent, with some breathtaking fight scenes. The climax in the snow is great and brilliantly staged but pretty violent and bloody. Parents should be cautious letting their kids watch this, there is some bloody violence and a couple of sexual scenes.
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Educator and Parent of 10, 10, 12, and 12 year old
June 13, 2010
AGE
What other families should know:
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Adult
April 9, 2008
AGE
Very good
I was very surprised, I liked this much more than Hero. The same issues that were in that are in this. There are multiple sexual scenes, but there are lots of very good battles. This movie was choreographed very well, and filmed in a beautiful place.
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Teen, 15 years old
November 22, 2009
AGE
Great Film
Beautifully made film. There is some dodgy sexual material but it is an excellent film. The violence in parts is unpleasant but not inappropriate.
What other families should know:
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Teen, 15 years old
April 9, 2008
AGE
Very Good
Nothing too graphic.
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Teen, 14 years old
May 30, 2009
AGE
What other families should know:
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| Topics: | sports and martial arts |
| Studio: | Sony Pictures |
| Director: | Zhang Yimou |
| Cast: | Andy Lau, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Zhang Ziyi |
| Genre: | Action/Adventure |
| Run time: | 119 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | December 3, 2004 |
| DVD release date: | April 19, 2005 |
| MPAA rating: | PG-13 |
| MPAA explanation: | sequences of stylized martial arts violence, and some sexuality |
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