Set in Song Dynasty (circa 1146 AD) in ancient China, Full River Red is one of director Zhang Yimou's best - a combination of masterful storytelling, character development (including a superb performance by Jackson Yee as Sun Jun), original sound track containing Chinese Yu Opera, and artful visuals. The storyline is simple enough - the entire movie revolves around two central characters searching for the truth and a disappeared letter following the murder of an enemy official. The allegiances and true intentions of the central characters, including that of the support characters, are often deceiving and offer surprising "reveals". Themes of loyalty and the willingness to sacrifice oneself for a greater belief is explored throughout, and comedic dialogue often takes places to keep the film in a general light tone. Having taken the number 1 box office in China over the Chinese New Year period, this is a film to demonstrate why Zhang remains one of China's best directors.
Review of Full River Red
