House of Flying Daggers

Name: House of Flying Daggers
Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Romance
Released: December 3, 2004
Duration: 119 min
Rating: 89
Cast: Andy Lau, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Ziyi Zhang

2004

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 37 Critics

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 421 Ratings

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9.1	User Score Universal acclaim based on 421 Ratings

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HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS

Movie Details & Credits

Sony Pictures Classics | Release Date: December 3, 2004

Starring: Andy Lau, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Ziyi Zhang

Summary: The year is 859 AD, and China's once flourishing Tang Dynasty is in decline. Unrest is raging throughout the land, and the corrupt government is locked in battle with rebel armies that are forming in protest. The largest and most prestigious of these rebel groups is the House of Flying Daggers, which is growing ever more powerful under aThe year is 859 AD, and China's once flourishing Tang Dynasty is in decline. Unrest is raging throughout the land, and the corrupt government is locked in battle with rebel armies that are forming in protest. The largest and most prestigious of these rebel groups is the House of Flying Daggers, which is growing ever more powerful under a mysterious new leader. (Sony Pictures Classics)… Expand

Director: Yimou Zhang

Genre(s): Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Romance

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 119 min

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Awards & Rankings

5	#5 Best Movie of 2004
56	#56 Most Discussed Movie of 2004
70	#70 Most Shared Movie of 2004

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Desson Thomson

Chinese director Zhang Yimou understands perfectly that the small can be epic and awe-inspiring. And, by the way, he knows how to get big, too. Read full review

100

New York Daily News Jami Bernard

The most gorgeous movie of the year. This smashing martial-arts romance from Chinese director Zhang Yimou is stunning in other ways, too, like the eroticism that ripples just beneath the surface. Read full review

100

Film Threat Phil Hall

Quite simply, House of Flying Daggers is a film that sets several new standards for production and entertainment values. It is a wild riot of color, music, passion, action, mystery, pure old-fashioned thrills and even dancing. Read full review

The Hollywood Reporter Kirk Honeycutt

A glorious new addition to martial-arts cinema. Read full review

Portland Oregonian Shawn Levy

The second action melodrama released in the United States this year by director Zhang Yimou, and if I prefer the previous one, "Hero," it's partly a matter of degrees. Read full review

The New Yorker Anthony Lane

You feel wiped and blinded by such ravishment, yet a voice within you asks: Come on, guys, can't you just stop for the holidays? Read full review

San Francisco Chronicle Carla Meyer

Beautiful but hollow. Read full review

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User Reviews

sammy

Jan 8, 2006

A beautiful film, one of the best martial arts films I've seen.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

KastusL

Jul 26, 2008

Poetic in every scene, in every touche, in every voice. Unbelievably how Zhang can create this? Like picture of Rembrandt in movie.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

TylerDurden900

Jul 9, 2014

House Of Flying Daggers is a gorgeous action movie with sumptuous cinematography and sublime
action sequences. The movie is one of the best martial arts movies made recently. If you don't like the
story, there is always the brilliant action to entertain you.

8 of 9 users found this helpful81

theop.

Oct 4, 2005

A really good martial arts film that doesn't revolve around martial arts. flying daggers is the best film of it's genre since Crouching tiger, hidden dragon (hero came close). Though it is really a soap opera like love story with fighting sequences, it has great acting.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

PatC.

May 4, 2006

The film starts as a political confrontation between government and rebel interests, but no one is who they seem, and through many plot twists the story converts into a romantic confrontation between love and freedom interests. A Mata Hari kind of thing. But unlike a Hollywood romance, the The film starts as a political confrontation between government and rebel interests, but no one is who they seem, and through many plot twists the story converts into a romantic confrontation between love and freedom interests. A Mata Hari kind of thing. But unlike a Hollywood romance, the characters all realize they are expendable, that no one cares whether they live or die. In the confines of this oriental mindset they find a way to make their obscurity empowering, which is interesting though perhaps not memorable. The martial arts action is precise but reeks of improbability. The most remarkable thing by far in this project is its attention to the art of the photoplay. Every scene is lush in color and light and finely crafted with the meticulousness of an impressionistic painting. As a feast of visual splendor for those with an eye for art, this is a wonderful movie.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

VidM.

Nov 10, 2005

Solid. Not worth seeing a second time though. In the same vein as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Hero. A couple good fight scenes, nothing awesome enough to warrant any more detail than that. The love story is predictable and falls kinda flat.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

AnonymousMC

Dec 6, 2004

Simple....the critics are crazy and freaking BLIND. Zhang yimou is obviously cashing in on the current Kungfu-movie-craze, and the critics are stupid enough to rave about it. Im a chinese..and i've seen ALOT of kungfu flicks..and this is the WORST i've ever seen. this is merely aSimple....the critics are crazy and freaking BLIND. Zhang yimou is obviously cashing in on the current Kungfu-movie-craze, and the critics are stupid enough to rave about it. Im a chinese..and i've seen ALOT of kungfu flicks..and this is the WORST i've ever seen. this is merely a pretentious piece of junk. Stupid plot (or lack of one), awful acting, boring and cliche fight scenes and most importantly, downright BORING. And if u've been sharp, you'l realise that zhang ziyi gets screwed in EVERY SINGLE movie. She's always acting as a whore...she's way too overrated, and way too irritating. Please, she's far from beautiful (and so is the movie). Absolutely disgraceful to chinese gongfu flicks.... i wish i could spit on zhang yimou.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful

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