I don't care how beautiful a movie is if it fails to entertain, and this movie is so mind-numbingly boring any discussion of virtuoso cinematography and lavish set designs is pointless. This movie would put even the most ardent HK film-fan to sleep.

Anyone who has ever read reviews of this director's work will rarely, if ever, find words like fun, fast-paced, riveting, exciting or even entertaining. Instead we get descriptions that contain words like langurous, brooding, convoluted and my personal favorite from the lexicon of arrogant critic-speak, challenging. These are all just euphemisms for "boring", which is how all of Wong Kar-Wai's incomprehensible, supremely self-conscious, snore-inducing vanity pieces can be described.

MASTERPIECE
Containing all the elements that make a film a masterpiece, the Hong Kong version of Ashes of Time is a lesson in filmmaking brilliance. Multi-dimensional plots with sub-plots make this film far too advanced and mind-boggling for the normal Wuxia fan. Indeed, much of the film's extraordinary elements will not be appreciated or even recognized by them. Not that they CAN'T appreciate the film - it's just that they're going to actually have to put forth some effort!

For the more artistic, creative, and thought-provoking individuals who enjoy an intriguing storyline, good writing, character depth, creative camera angles, and emotionally moving performances, they will be perfectly satisfied. It's one of those films that you watch over and over, understanding and learning more about it with each viewing.

THE STORYTELLER
The narration of the main character adds an incredible touch - our main character poetically and non-chalantly introduces the cast of players he meets in his lonely and dark career all the while offering his insight and feelings about his life and the lives of those around him.

KUNG-FU CHOREOGRAPHY
The martial arts presented in the film are realistic and presented in a fashion far different than what Hong Kong cinema usually serves up. Sammo Hung, who choreographed the fights, was probably as stunned and bewildered as the viewer is left when watching the martial action. Like taking a finished Rembrandt and giving it to Picasso for "a little touch up," the director in a sense massacred Sammo's beauty. Unfortunately, some will respond to this film's use of martial arts cinematography the same way most responded to what Mozart did to traditional classical music.

Hopefully Sammo felt as positive as I did with the result - flashes of techniques hidden behind stutter shutter camera shots, slow motion action sequences merged with quick impacts, and one-cut death blows that are reminiscent of the Japanese classics that was so lacking in Hong Kong cinema. For the most part, deaths occur with a realistic touch; bodies crashing into heaps, faces dropping lifelessly into the sand, blood splattering across faces. All the while the camera catches the fight scenes from incredible angles which doesn't allow you to be a TV observer. You feel as if you are IN the fray, looking past shoulders, legs, beams, table, and corners as you try to get a glimpse of the action. You get a sense of the real-life confusion and quick thinking that a real battle or duel could involve.

Without Sammo's classical attention to detail and clever positions, the amazing camera shots would not have been able to carry the fight scenes. The large-scale fights would have quite possibly ended up looking more like Jet Li's Hero - a flurry of meaningless Wushu dances where people fall by the wayside without getting hit. Beautiful and artistic as that is, Ashes of Time takes the other approach: dirty, dusty, abrupt, rude, and more efficient and effective. Minus a few obvious "assists" by minor actors, this is some of the best martial arts that I have ever seen on the screen. Most films leave you to enjoy the silly and unrealistic 5-10 minutes of battle with each foe. Ashes of Time slams you right inside of realism; a quick exchange of a warrior's favorite combination that results in a one of the participants quick death. That realism is carried over to the multi-opponent scenes as well. I found it incredibly refreshing!

THE DESERT SETTING
The Chinese martial underground brought to the desert blended with a Middle-Eastern flavor of banditry and music produces something amazing. It is a cross between the Arabian swordsmen tales and the wandering exploits of famous Chinese Heroes like Sagacious Lu and Wu Song from the Chinese literary classic, Outlaws of the Marsh. The difference being that the characters in Ashes of Time do not enjoy the fame outside their own circle - the viewer is left with the impression that each character maintains a level of mystery and anonymity. Before we are able to fully bond with the Ashes of Time players (as you do with the Outlaws of the Marsh), they are gone... another brilliant aspect of the film.

The bandits intent on revenge is the greatest of the fighting sequences. You could say that the film climaxes at this point, but I believe that it was probably done intentionally.

The desert bandits are the epitome of what Star Trek's Khan Noonian Singh (Space Seed episode and Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan) and his followers would have been like had Roddenberry chose to focus on their martial abilities while marooned on Ceti Alpha.

FLASHBACKS
The film features Kurosawa-like flashback storytelling taken to a higher extreme. Without letting you know if you're in the past, present, or future (and sometimes a combination of the three!), the viewer is left to their own devices to figure out where the film has taken them.

THE FILM AND THE ACTORS
This is the film you will wish you had a discussion group for. You could spend quite a few months discussing each scene in-depth, with everyone's different take on what the scenes were all about and what the director and writer were trying to say.

This is not to say that the film is flawless, but until they make a better film of this type, it will have to remain at 5 stars. The cinematography is not breath-taking to the untrained eye - it's a dust-blowing desert and looks like a giant sandstorm could bury all the inhabitants at any time. But the dunes, mountains, and sunsets are just as amazing as the lakes, forests, and temples found in other films. Browns, reds, and yellow dominate the complexion of the film and it leaves a desolate and solemn atmosphere. Apparently the Honk Kong Film Awards agreed with the beauty of the film.. this film received Best Cinematography, Best Art Director, and Best Costume & Makeup Design.

The acting is phenomenal and you have the feeling that you're watching someone's real thoughts and feelings being expressed by the cast. There are even a few rare and subtle quips throughout the film that make you smile as heroes (and you) prepare to battle evil.

Tension builds in just the right places. Soft, dreamy scenes are sometimes unexpectedly interrupted by violence, anger, or painful screams. It's a smooth emotional rollercoaster throughout the film that never quite takes you to the brink of your feelings. That assures that you you're not emotionally spent when the film ends - just a little mentally drained due to the complexity.

A sample of fantasy, legend and lore comes into play just briefly, but enough to remind you that you are not in the present day. You are in a time and place far more mysterious and ancient than our own. With a change of costumes and an extra moon in the sky, the feel of the film could have been like the futuristic and other worldly atmosphere of Luke Skywalker in his desert planet battling the sandmen...

The greatest aspect of this film is that, like Crouching Tiger and Hero, you don't have to be a martial arts or Wuxia fan to enjoy it! This is a picture that you can gather a wide-range of people and each can appreciate it on a different level.

CONCLUSION
Don't think that you will able to pop this puppy into your DVD player and just sit back and enjoy the ride. You will need the remote control close by to rewind the complicated portions of the movie that must be repeated to fully understand certain scenes or to cross-reference a flashback or two. If you're not mentally locked in, on the edge of your seat, lights off, and remote control in one hand, it will be nearly impossible to fully absorb what this movie has to offer.

This movie is best watched when you're in the mood for complicated love and passion, rogue-like chivalry, or an adventurous but isolated self-journey. It's a thought-provoking film that leaves you wondering, "Am I living life to the fullest, without regrets?" Each time you see this film you will be left longing for a trusty sword, a horde of bandits to kill, and a lover traveling and fighting by your side.