The Assassins

Hong Kong superstar Chow Yun-fat is a formidable presence as legendary Chinese warlord Cao Cao (pronounced “So-So”), the powerful Prime Minister of the Han dynasty. In the year 198 B.C., Cao defeated China's greatest warrior, maximizing his power by turning the incompetent emperor, Xian (Alec Su), into a puppet leader while he ruled behind the scenes. Over the next two decades, Xian trained kidnapped children to become warriors and assassins, including young lovers Mu Shun (Hiroshi Tamaki) and Ling Ju (Crystal Liu Yifei), who spend five years in a prison camp preparing for a secret mission to assassinate Cao Cao. While an astronomical symbol predicts imminent change in dynasties, Cao finds himself in the midst of a power struggle between Xian and Cao's own ambitious son, Cao Pi (Qiu Xin Zhi), who sets his sights on the throne. As the myriad subterfuges unfold, The Assassins becomes somewhat bogged down with an overabundance of peripheral characters and complicated scheming. Yet the film is also a sumptuous visual feast, boasting impressive sets and sterling production values, as well as some well-written dramatic scenes (allowing Chow to shine) and exciting bursts of action. Likely to appeal to fans of other recent Hong Kong historical epics depicting the “Three Kingdoms” era, such as John Woo's epic Red Cliff, this is recommended. (J. Shannon)