House of Flying Daggers

Zhang Yimou’s second wu-xia film favours a heart–wrenching romance over the genre’s usual ethical conflicts. The tragedy of the story’s love triangle arises from the fact that its participants represent opposing parties – the police and an underground rebel group. The spectacular visuals mirror the gradual change of the lovers’ emotions and their increasingly tense outbursts; hence the action moves from symmetrically organised interiors towards a final ravaging snowstorm.