Review: 'Sacrifice', directed by Chen Kaige

Already considered one of China's true master filmmakers, Chen Kaige has decided to break the mold with his latest modern classic, Sacrifice. Forsaking the huge battles and simple narrative of most Chinese historical epics, Kaige has tapped into a number of different influences to create what is essentially three different movies all rolled into one: part western adventure film; part swords 'n samurai thriller; and part intimate character study. The result is a devastating, intricate tale of revenge from a legend at the top of his game.

Plot twists and betrayals abound as Kaige juggles multiple threads at once, with each piece building to an incredible emotional crescendo. Based on the Chinese epic, Orphan of Zhao, the story mostly revolves around Chen Ying(Farewell My Concubine's Ge You), a doctor who serves the ruling Zhao clan. Ying gives birth to two sons in fairly quick succession. The first belongs to him and his wife, who have had a difficult time conceiving and look at the birth as a gift. The second belongs to a Zhao princess(Fan Bingbing), and is destined to rule some day. General Tu Angu(Wang Zueqi) will never let that happen, wiping out the entire Zhao clan and usurping the throne for himself. When he discovers that the Zhao child still lives, his search eventually leads to all of the town's newborns threatened with death. Through some confusion and a good deal of malice, Tu not only kills Cheng's wife, but also murders his son, thinking it to be the Zhao child. Cheng, who was already living solely for the chance to be a father, finds new purpose in raising the real Zhao child as his own, in hopes of training him to one day kill Tu and get the vengeance he craves.

Kaige, who also co-wrote the script, lets the complicated motivations of each character drive the story, taking it into some wildly unpredictable directions. Cheng names the boy Bo, and he soon discovers that his peaceful disposition will never be enough to prepare him to kill Tu. He undertakes a dangerous and painful scheme, gaining employment in Tu's home, and allowing the warlord to become a surrogate grandfather to Bo. The result is a double-edged sword, as Bo gets the training he needs to be a killer, but it also strengthens his relationship with the man he's intended to one day assassinate. Kaige mines the jumbled morass for all it's worth, finding humor in Cheng and Tu's differing parenting styles. When it starts to appear as if Bo would prefer the guidance of Tu over his own father, we get a real sense of Cheng's desperation. Motivations and allegiances shift, new plans are hatched, and blood most certainly gets spilled as the plot gets more elaborate and compelling.

 Colorful and beautifully detailed, the film features perfectly choreographed battles matched only by Kaige's subtle touch during the quieter moments. Sacrifice proves again that Kaige is more than just one of China's best directors, he's one of the finest filmmakers working today.