Film review: House of Flying Daggers

House of Flying Daggers was not as supremely eye-candied as Hero (but moreso than any other movie ever, mind you), but the action and style of twisting was much better IMO. I wasn't all about the whole retrospective frame story concept. HoFD finds ways to deliver the same kind of cinematic experience as Hero while taking place entirely in the present. Plus, its story doesn't deny the universal truth that girls are irresponsible whores (no, I'm not ever going to get laid), and in fact exemplifies it quite well. Story wise, it wins an easy victory over Hero. Action wise, I enjoyed it more than Hero but they were probably about equal. Beauty wise, Hero wins if only for the awesome use of color. Don't get me wrong, HoFD contains some of the most incredible visuals to grace the screen, but Hero simply has more. If I have any gripes about it, it's that too much of the movie was spent in the same forest-type setting. That, and some of the snow at the end was very obviously 'shopped. Despite these, I proclaim it a phenomenal win.