Movie Digest
Princess Turandot is a cursed royal due to a power emanating from three Mazovian bracelets that were birthday presents. The princess becomes ruthless and loses her humanity because of the bracelets’ life-draining effects. Princes who come to court her have to solve three riddles, one for each bracelet, and only then will she be free of the bracelets’ spell. If answers are wrong to questions given, the attempted solver will face death. Calaf, an ordinary citizen, risks his life one day to solve the puzzles to save her, unwittingly uncovering his extraordinary past.
The Feel-Good Part
This film features an impressive cast that includes director Zheng Xiaolong, dependable actors Jiang Wen and Hu Jun, actress Guan Xiaotong, and foreign actors Dylan Sprouse and Sophie Marceau.
The Disappointing Factor
It lost the Chinese aspects as a multinational fantasy film, but it also failed to show Western characteristics.
In-Depth Analysis
It is a Chinese romantic fantasy film based on the Italian opera Turandot. Despite being inspired by this well-known opera, the film tells a nearly unique plot based on a Chinese novel called Sansezhuo (three colored bracelets). The film’s major flaw is that the director, Zheng, films it in the style of a TV drama, which results in a chaotic storyline. Zheng infused the plot with numerous authentic Chinese aspects, including costumes, makeup, speech, kung fu sequences, sets, Chinese cultural notions like “sacrifice for love,” and the account of how the ancient Chinese innovation of fireworks spread in Europe. The story’s core did not respect the Chinese audience and instead attempted to please moviegoers by incorporating certain Eastern features. This film faced high criticism for combining Western and Eastern elements. The visual effects in the movie are mesmerizing. Overall, the film is not up to the quality of an excellent one, but it does not mean it is ghastly.
Star Power
This film consists of an impressive cast that includes Guan Xiaotong (Princess Turandot) and Dylan Sprouse (Calaf). They did a great job with their roles but were not up to the audiences’ expectations.
Overall Opinion
It is a decent movie that tries to bring Western and Eastern elements together. It is not so great nor so bad.
