The Banquet [Blu-ray] [Region Free]

I am not the first person to comment on the fact that this DVD does not present the film in its orginal 2.35:1 aspect ratio. Considering how important the visual aspect of this film is, it is criminal that in Region 2 we have to endure a transfer which does not let us see the whole picture. We get around half of it most of the time. Region 2 viewers should revolt against this ever-increasing shoddy practice of giving us something less good than our Region 1 cousins.

The film is very good but not quite excellent. It is beautiful to look at. The score is excellent. The thing that lets it down, and it is something I have noticed in several Chinese films, is that the pace seems to sag about three quarters of the way through. What has been riveting suddenly becomes protracted. It is a shame because there is much to enjoy in this film.

The DVD extras don't amount to a great deal. There is a making of documentary which, although it contains some interesting information on the making of the film, is fairly short.

The film is worth seeing. If you want to see this film on DVD, get the Region 1 version. If your DVD player cannot play Region 1 DVD's, see if you hack it or chip it but don't help promote this shabby practice of selling Region 2 viewers a substandard transfer of a film that is available elsewhere as the director intended it to look.

Which was, of course, The Lion King.

I'll touch on the aspect ratio thing which has been mentioned before. I was aware of this before watching the film and expected it to have more impact than it eventually did. You're left aware of what the film should have been once the opening credits roll un-cropped and then fade back into fullscreen. Aside from that if I hadn't known about it I doubt I would have noticed while watching so it wasn't as big a deal to me as I thought it would be.

The emperor is dead, his young widow is being seduced by (or is it the other way around?)the emperor's brother who intends to be crowned emperor himself, while the emperor's son has removed himself from the court, and its intrigues, to study the arts. NOTE: not martial arts but music, primarily. From here things kick off in spectacular fashion.

To be honest this is one of the first of these Chinese epics that I've managed to follow the plot of, obviously because it's based on Shakespeare's Hamlet and is a bit of a classic. Couple this with stunning set pieces (and not just battles) and the spectacular Chinese scenery and you have one extremely compelling film.

The violence is over the top and bloody but nothing that will have you hiding behind a cushion. The fight scenes seem slightly toned down than some I've seen though there's still a bit of aerobatics and you won't be cheated of epic set piece battles. I think the fights are grittier and it works.

You already know by now whether you're a fan of this sort of film and if you are you should get your hands on it. If you've tried previous films like Crouching Tiger, Hero or House of Flying Daggers and found the extended superheroesque blade-walking high flying jousting just a bit too much for you then at least give this a rental because it's more toned down and brutal than those previous epics.

This is a feast of a film - few blu ray reviews here - so a quicky to clarify this isn't like the cropped DVD version that has given this wonderful film such bad reviews. The blu ray sounds and looks wholeheartedly widescreenly magnificent.