Based on the blurb, I was expecting a supernatural-serial killer movie. While it has those elements, it's far more than that. It really deals with life, death, and the afterlife. It's very intelligent, thought provoking, yet also full of action scenes (mostly sword-fights).
The heart of this film is very existentialist. The characters in this film all suffer from the whims of fate, be it from nature or from others. But they are in control of what they do in response.
What would you do for love? Kill? Destroy the world? Kill yourself? Which is more important, the past or the future? Would you damn yourself to hell for revenge? Or to save the world? How the major (and some minor) characters in this film answer those questions is pretty much what the film is really about. Some characters answer this question negatively. Others in a more positive manner.
The acting is excellent as is the script. There's a lot of minor characters, but all have very distinct personalities.
I thought the sword fighting scenes were fairly impressive, especially the scene at the temple gate.
The pacing is somewhat slow, but I found it gripping. Many times you expect something to happen one way, but it doesn't, yet it never feels gimmicky. The ending is very beautiful.
The heart of this film is very existentialist. The characters in this film all suffer from the whims of fate, be it from nature or from others. But they are in control of what they do in response.
What would you do for love? Kill? Destroy the world? Kill yourself? Which is more important, the past or the future? Would you damn yourself to hell for revenge? Or to save the world? How the major (and some minor) characters in this film answer those questions is pretty much what the film is really about. Some characters answer this question negatively. Others in a more positive manner.
The acting is excellent as is the script. There's a lot of minor characters, but all have very distinct personalities.
I thought the sword fighting scenes were fairly impressive, especially the scene at the temple gate.
The pacing is somewhat slow, but I found it gripping. Many times you expect something to happen one way, but it doesn't, yet it never feels gimmicky. The ending is very beautiful.