The Assassin

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Michael V It is extremely hard to follow, you never really know who anyone is or why they're doing anything. It also is one of the slowest movies I've ever seen. I was consistently bored as single shots linger for several minutes at a time with nothing happening. This would be fine for sweeping views of nature or something, but the director would also do it for shots of a character just standing there or something else as visually uninteresting. Rated 2/5 Stars •  Rated 2 out of 5 stars 03/21/25 Full Review Leprechaun K A visually stunning film by acclaimed director Hsiao. Very slow paced so probably not for everyone, but those with the patience and an eye for art will be handsomely rewarded. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/25/25 Full Review Alan O Very slow moving movie. When there were fight scenes it was ok. Good acting... Just going at a snails pace. Rated 2.5/5 Stars •  Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/15/25 Full Review Alec B Yes the plot is mostly indecipherable but at a certain point you stop caring as I don't believe your supposed to be all that invested in the story. What matters are the visual and auditory elements such as the gorgeous cinematography, the panoramic backgrounds, and the way the sounds of nature seem to hijack every scene. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 12/13/23 Full Review Will K Mesmerizing. For those who like to slow down and smell the roses. Yes, I was confused often - needed a "program guide" to help me understand characters, motivations, historical context, etc. But, with patience - I got enough of the gist and grist to make it worth watching. So yes, a little prep - will make this even more entertaining (and understandable). Oh, and then there is Shu Qi - the perfect assassin of my heart. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 09/27/23 Full Review daniel l This is actually an arthouse movie and it is not a martial art movie. I think the movie's title and the trailer might have given people the wrong expectations about what it is. If you come to this movie and expecting to see an action packed, martial art film, then you are bound to be disappointed. The Assassin's excellence resides in the stunning cinematography, its simplicity, and the underlying philosophy, delivered by a nuanced, dream like storytelling. But this movie doesn't hold your hand. While the story has a complex political backdrop and the character dynamics are intricate, but the movie has little exposition. The narratives are fragmented, and dialogues are minimum. As a result this movie is not very accessible. It suffices to say this is not a commercial movie. The first time viewing is bound to be confusing. However, The Assassin will reward you if you are patient and willing to put in the efforts to understand its story. In my first viewing the movie thoroughly confused me, but afterwards for days I couldn't stop thinking about it, and I decided to watch it again. In my second viewing, the movie clicked for me and I came to appreciate its quiet beauty and its cinematic artistry. This movie is definitely not for everyone and I recommend it only to those cinema aficionados who like to watch arthouse movies. Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Read all reviews

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