A Mongolian Tale

No doubt about it: this movie is unbelievably scenic. Those breathtaking steppes! That incredible horizon! Pity about the narrative, though. A simple (and I do mean simple) tale of regret for the road not taken, concerning lovers apparently destined for one another from childhood who, for utterly humdrum reasons, never quite hook up, Xie Fei's meandering film devotes about 100 minutes to events that would barely support a ten-minute short; by the third reel, I was halfheartedly hoping for the legendary Mongol hordes to turn up and slaughter the principal cast, just to liven things up a bit. If you've already got a copy of Nikita Mikhalkov's excellent Close to Eden (circa 1992), you're doing fine, Mongolia-wise; set in the same locale, it's equally spectacular visually but far less cloying and discursive. Not recommended. (M. D'Angelo)