&varTextReviews=HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS:

"Beautifully shot, absolutely spellbinding martial arts saga . . .Daggers is a truly impressive epic, full of dazzling period set design, radiant cinematography, powerful performances in the archetypal romantic roles and a series of fantastic and thrilling fight scenes. . .'House of Flying Daggers' was clearly one of the best new films premiering at Cannes."
-Michael Wilmington, CHICAGO TRIBUNE

"Zhang Yimou's exhilarating martial-arts epic . . .Featuring Zhang Ziyi as a warrior woman trying to find an honest man in the midst of double-and triple-crosses, Flying Daggers earned spontaneous cheers after every action sequence.  With supple but sinewy fight choreography and breathtaking cinematography, it rivals and at times surpasses Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon." 
-Stephen Garret, TIME OUT NEW YORK

"A glossy martial-arts adventure by the leading Chinese director, was a superior example of its genre."
-Roger Ebert, CHICAGO SUN-TIMES

"Zhang Ziyi excels in a role that calls for a dancer's grace combined with acrobatic prowess and seductive wiles."
-Barbara Scharres, CHICAGO SUN-TIMES

"A wonderfully feminist martial-arts-film love triangle that moves from brothel to bamboo forest with nary a misstep."
-B. Ruby Rich, SAN FRANCISCO BAY GUARDIAN

"Ingenious battles and fabulous scenery."
-Gerald Peary, BOSTON PHEONIX

"Superb fight sequences . . .saturated in a variety of sensuous colors, so that each battle scene imprints on the brain in a swath of foam, tangerine or aqua."
-Jami Bernard, DAILY NEWS (NOTE SHE IS TALKING ABOUT BOTH HOFD AND HERO)

"Brings eye-popping operatic richness to the wuxia genre of swordplay and chivalry made popular for westerners with Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon."
-Lisa Schwarzbaum, ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

"Displayed considerable action chops and the fine dance moves of Zhang Ziyi."
-Kenneth Turan, LOS ANGELES TIMES

"Spectacular martial-arts epic that could match the success of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' . . .eye-popping fight sequences in House of Flying Daggers', including one set in a bamboo forest, were greeted with gasps of astonishment and spontaneous applause by critics at the renowned movie showcase."
-Paul Majendie, REUTERS

"Lush . . .sets loyalty against love to create an arch melodrama with bofo kungfu battles and eye-popping settings.  The acrobatic bamboo-forest combat scene even beats the one in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon'."
-Dana Thomas, NEWSWEEK INTERNATIONAL

"Features action sequences so mind-boggling  including in the treetops of a bamboo forest  that each one was greeted by thunderous applause at screenings . . .Gorgeously shot."
-Lou Lumenick, NEW YORK POST ONLINE EDITION

"Lavish, crowd-pleasing. . .Sumptuous"
-A.O. Scott, NEW YORK TIMES

"Bowled audiences over . . .crowd-pleasing."
John Anderson, NEWSDAY

"Sumptuous martial arts drama."
-Leah Rozen, PEOPLE

"Beyond a doubt the most visually ravishing film on offer at Cannes this year.  . the three leads generate gusto and charisma. . .the film belongs to Zhang Ziyi, who takes her action-girl ingnue persona to further peaks of prowess, her proving not just breathtakingly athletic but also a romantic heroine in the grand sense. . .Zhang Yimou directs with masterful panache."
-Jonathan Romney, SCREEN INTERNATIONAL(SCREEN DAILY.COM)

"Zhang Yimou's high-kicking follow-up to Hero'. . . eye-popping dcor, colors, and landscapes, and also with lead actress Zhang Ziyi, who defies gravity in "Daggers" while turning in a gracefully complicated performance as a blind showgirl in Medieval China who's actually a spy with martial arts expertise."
-Ty Burr, BOSTON GLOBE


"Coming right on the heels of his similarly themed all time Chinese box office hit, HERO, but for my money, HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS is even more gorgeous and thrilling!"
-Michael Wilmington, CHICAGO TRIBUNE

"A staggeringly beautiful martial-arts epic that somehow surpasses Zhang's current "Hero"."
-Glen Lovell, SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS(FROM TORONTO)

"The dazzling new historical epic from Zhang Yimou.  Set during the Tang Dynasty in China in 859  A.D.,'House' goes Hero' one better: It has a compelling story, as well as stunning visuals.  The beautiful Zhang Ziyi shows off her ballerina grace as Mei, a blind dancer/swordswoman.  Yimou's eye for color is as sharp as ever here, especially during a mesmerizing dance sequence as Mei swirls her coral robes within a circle of flowered drums  and the flying daggers of the title are, of course, perfection."
-Moira Macdonald, THE SEATTLE TIMES(FROM TORONTO)

"Sensual, gorgeous, action-packed."
-Jami Bernard, NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

"Zhang Yimou outperforms Hero . . . abstract and magical, an action dance musical predicated on acrobatic impossibilities and continual reversals of identity. With his intimations of grand opera, Zhang seems to have added something to the wuxia tradition."
-J. Hoberman, VILLAGE VOICE

"Now in his early 50's, Mr. Zhang has embarked on the third chapter of an already dazzling career. . . . a gorgeous entertainment, a feast of blood, passion and silk brocade. . . . It is a commonplace that action movies are closely related to musicals, and few directors prove the point with as much discipline and flair.  The babmboo forest scene is not just a bravura exercise in vertical and horizontal choreography, as fighters swoop down from th eleafy canopy and scurry across the ground.  It is also a heroic feat of sound design, with the whistle of the babmboo fronds played in counterpoint to the impact of cudgels and spears."

-A.O. Scott, NEW YORK TIMES

"'Daggers' uses the same intoxicating color schemes and breathtaking fight choreography while adding deeper emotional tones in this saga of a blind assassin . . .  One should simply abandon oneself to rapture."
-Gene Seymour, NEW YORK NEWSDAY&