IGN.com|AskMen.com|Rotten Tomatoes|GameSpy|FilePlanet|TeamXbox|CheatsCodesGuides|GameStats|Direct2Drive|Green Pixels
RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
Learn More About Rotten Tomatoes
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • The Vine
  • Forums
  • Box Office
  • | In Theaters
  • | Opening
  • | Upcoming
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
  • | Showtimes
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches by subscribing to our Google Subscribed Links profile.
 
Movies / On DVD / Curse of the Golden Flower
Curse of the Golden Flower

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Email to a Friend
  • Add to List
  • Get this Movie
  • Buy Poster External Icon
  • Visit Official Site External Icon
  • Bookmark and Share

Curse of the Golden Flower (2006)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
65 %
Tomatometer

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted: 116

Fresh: 75

Rotten:41

Average Rating: 6.4/10

Consensus: Melodrama, swordplay, and CG armies -- fans of martial arts epic will get what they bargain for, though the baroque art direction can be both mesmerizing and exhaustively excessive.

Runtime: 1 hr 54 mins

Genre: Action/Adventure

Theatrical Release: Dec 21, 2006 Limited

Box Office: $6,466,942

Synopsis: In 2004, Zhang Yimou caused a sensation with his astonishing HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS, and his CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER is yet another dazzling, visually stunning film. Calling again upon the... In 2004, Zhang Yimou caused a sensation with his astonishing HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS, and his CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER is yet another dazzling, visually stunning film. Calling again upon the talents of the striking Gong Li, Yimou tells an epic tale of lust and power set in the opulent world of the Later Tang dynasty. The plot follows the story of the Emperor (Chow Yun Fat) and his Empress (Li) and the tragic disintegration of their royal family--whose problems go far beyond the merely dysfunctional. For starters, the ailing Empress has long been having an affair with her stepson, the Crown Prince Wan (Liu Ye). Unbeknownst to her, Wan has been dallying with the Imperial Doctor's daughter (Li Man), and has plans to escape the palace with her. Meanwhile, the Emperor himself has just returned from a long trip, and while relations with his wife are obviously icy, it becomes clear that his plans for her are far more ominous than she could ever imagine. Everyone involved has a secret plan for either escape or domination, resulting in an explosive ending wherein the darkest family secrets are revealed and horrifically bloody battles are waged both inside and outside the walls of the sparkling, gold-encrusted palace. Yimou appears to be trying to balance his flair for telling an emotional story with his talent for thrilling, detail-driven action sequences, and while CURSE's plot does at times seem close to that of a soap opera, the phenomenal performances and breathtaking visuals are more than enough to power the film forward. Fans of Yimou's quieter work (RIDING ALONG FOR THOUSANDS OF MILES) are likely to enjoy the dramatic exploration of family relationships, while there are still plenty of hissing ninjas to satisfy DAGGERS enthusiasts. [More]

Starring: Chow Yun Fat, Gong Li, Jay Chou, Liu Ye

Starring: Chow Yun Fat, Gong Li, Jay Chou, Liu Ye, Chen Jin, Ni Dahong, Li Man, Qin Junjie

Director: Yimou Zhang

Director: Yimou Zhang
Producer: William Kong, Zhang Weiping
Studio: Sony Pictures Classics

[See More Credits]

  • Trailers
  • Pictures
  • Trailer #2
    >
    Trailer #1
    >
    >
    Exclusive Clip: At War
    >
  • Exclusive Clip: Ambush
    >
    Zhang Yimou
    >
    Gong Li
    >
1 - 4 of 7

See More Movie Trailers & Pictures

Get This Movie

  • Buy DVD
  • Rent DVD
 
 
 
 
Release:

Mar 27, 2007

[DVD Details]
 
 

DVD Features:

  • Anamorphic Widescreen - 2.35

Audio:

  • Dolby Digital 5.1 - Mandarin
  • Dubbed - English - Optional
  • Subtitles - English, French - Optional
  • Subtitles - English - Closed Captioned

Additional Release Material:

  • Behind The Scenes - Making Of

Click on the "ADD" button to put this movie into your Netflix queue.

Reviews for Curse of the Golden Flower

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 >> >|
Arrange By: Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 
Ratings Image

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Hollywood.com | comment Comment
11/20/08
Fred Topel
Hollywood.com
Ratings Image

Um épico que não apenas se encaixa no clima mítico e fantástico do gênero wuxia pian como ainda traz toques claramente shakespeareanos em sua trama repleta de traições e lutas sangrentas por um trono real (ou, neste caso, imperial).

Full Review Source: Cinema em Cena | comment Comment
01/16/08
Pablo Villaca
Cinema em Cena
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Dark Horizons | comment Comment
01/15/08
Garth Franklin
Dark Horizons
Ratings Image

Mucho brillo y color y poca sustancia dramática en esta tragedia épica que emula tanto a Shakespeare como a Kurosawa. Vale la pena sólo por su aspecto visual y, sobre todo, por la siempre intensa Gong Li.

Full Review Source: Uruguay Total | comment Comment
09/17/07
Enrique Buchichio
Uruguay Total
Ratings Image

Spectacular production designs and giant CGI battles can't really disguise a soap opera plot and often hammy acting.

Full Review Source: iAfrica.com | comment Comment
08/02/07
James O'Ehley
iAfrica.com
Ratings Image

Curse of the Golden Flower is, as usual, ravishing to look at, but it seems to be put together solely so that Zhang can assemble hundreds of people in stately rows.

Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | comment Comment
07/30/07
Rob Gonsalves
eFilmCritic.com
Ratings Image

Possibly the first mainstream Chinese representation of the massacre at Tiannamen Square.

Full Review Source: Film Freak Central | comment Comment
07/25/07
Walter Chaw
Film Freak Central
Ratings Image

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Big Picture Big Sound | comment Comment
07/14/07
Joe Lozito
Big Picture Big Sound
Ratings Image

Curse of the Golden Flower is a tragedy in the classic sense which is as devastating as it is entertaining.

Full Review Source: IGN Movies | comment Comment
06/25/07
Todd Gilchrist
IGN Movies
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Sydney Morning Herald | comment Comment
05/05/07
Sydney Morning Herald
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Observer [UK] | comment Comment
04/21/07
Philip French
Observer [UK]
Ratings Image

Gorgeous to look at and every bit as ornate as The House of the Flying Daggers. However, the dense and complex plot is a muddle and works best when dealing with the central relationships and matters of the heart.

Full Review Source: Urban Cinefile | comment Comment
04/21/07
Urban Cinefile Critics
Urban Cinefile
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: BBC | comment Comment
04/17/07
BBC
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Guardian [UK] | comment Comment
04/14/07
Peter Bradshaw
Guardian [UK]
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Times [UK] | comment Comment
04/14/07
Times [UK]
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
Ratings Image

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
04/13/07
Empire Magazine
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
04/12/07
Time Out
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
Ratings Image

Beautifully designed, visually stunning epic with impressive battle sequences, although the soap-tastic plot takes a while to really get going.

Full Review Source: ViewLondon | comment Comment
04/12/07
Matthew Turner
ViewLondon
Ratings Image

It is an overwrought melodrama set on a background of impressive beauty.This is a beautiful film, but the characters are weak and disappointing from Zhang.

Full Review Source: rec.arts.movies.reviews | comment Comment
04/01/07
Mark R. Leeper
rec.arts.movies.reviews
Ratings Image

The film may not hold up to Hero or Flying Daggers, but it contains enough of those film's stunning visual tricks to make it well worth checking out this holiday season.

Full Review Source: UGO | comment Comment
03/24/07
Brian Tallerico
UGO
1 - 20 (sorted by date)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 >> >|
all

Latest News for Curse of the Golden Flower

May 14, 2007: "Superman" Reigns at The Saturn Awards
Bryan Singer's "Superman Returns" cleaned house at the Saturn Awards over the weekend. (Hey, don't laugh. The Saturn Awards have been around for over 30 years and they... More...

January 15, 2007: Box Office Guru Wrapup: "Stomp" Steps All Over New Releases
Stomping into the number one spot over the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend was the college dance drama "Stomp the Yard," which grossed an estimated $22M in... More...

January 11, 2007: Box Office Guru Preview: Can Sony "Stomp" the "Museum?"
Can Ben Stiller and his living artifacts four-peat at the top of the North American box office, or will one of the new releases take the crown over the four-day Dr. Martin... More...

January 11, 2007: Critical Consensus: "Invisibles" Lacks Focus; "Stomp" Comes Up Short; "Curse" Is A Mixed Blessing; "Dog" Has Bite; "Primeval" Not Screened
This week at the movies, we've got a kid who ventures into a magical world ("Arthur and the Invisibles," with voice work from Robert De Niro and Madonna), a frat... More...

See More Topics...

Related Forums for Curse of the Golden Flower

Darko, Donnie
(2006)-CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER is a spectacle tailor-made for BIG SCREEN viewing!!
by: Darko, Donnie 3/30/07

goodbigbaby
Golden Flower is not so visually simple
by: goodbigbaby 12/25/06

Not a Curse at the box office
by: UsayMatoIsayMato 12/23/06
See All

More DVDs

Top Rentals
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
ROTTEN: 1 27% Eagle Eye
FRESH: 2 78% Burn After Reading
ROTTEN: 3 53% Mamma Mia!
FRESH: 4 94% The Dark Knight
ROTTEN: 5 42% Death Race

More Rentals…

New On DVD This Week
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
ROTTEN: 21 21% Righteous Kill
ROTTEN: 7 07% Babylon A.D.
ROTTEN: 9 09% Bangkok Dangerous
ROTTEN: 2 02% Disaster Movie

More New Releases…

What’s Hot On RT

Exclusive: Che

Exclusive: Che

Watch Benicio del Toro as Che Guevara.

Step Up 2 the Podcast

Step Up 2 the Podcast

RT and /Film on Step Up 2 The Streets.

Critics' Picks of '08

Critics' Picks of '08

Critics name the year's best and worst!

2008 In Pictures

2008 In Pictures

The best red carpet moments of '08!

More Info

RT To Go

Get this widget! Movie Reviews

Around The Network

  • Curse of the Golden Flower at Rotten Tomatoes
  • Curse of the Golden Flower at IGN