The Promise

Rating: PG-13

Movie Release Date: December 15, 2005 (Hong Kong) / May 5, 2006 (USA)

DVD Release Date: December 19, 2006

Plot 411: A beautiful woman cursed to never fall in love, a case of mistaken identity and the war for power and success combine in this Chinese film.

Review: I honestly don't even know where to start. This movie had it all - war, a curse, kung fu, magic, true love, destiny, honor, betrayal and the list goes on. I can definitely say that only the Chinese can do it like this. At first I was a little thrown by the CGI because it made the film seem sort of cartoonish. I questioned whether or not it was supposed to have a graphic novel feel, especially when there were beautiful nature scenes to contrast with the obvious CGI bits. However, I realized that everything worked together if you took a step back and looked at the bigger picture. The brilliant colors, the ultra-focused eye of the camera, the almost-telemundo way the music would swell, the outrageously beautiful costumes - this was all part of the effect of the entire movie. I especially loved the overly dramatic love affair, the pull between true love and one's duty. This thinking, to me, seems so typically Asian that I don't think a Western film could capture all the nuances and really do it justice.

Watch It: If a) you enjoy the kung fu films where the characters can fly; b) love a good old-fashioned love story; or c) have an artistic eye.

Skip It: If a) you need your subtitles to match word-for-word with what the character says; b) are disturbed by CGI effects that are almost to the point of being cheesy; or c) get distracted when the voices don't match the characters' looks (I swear Sean Connery was doing the voice of Kunlun, the slave character. If that's not weird enough, everyone has a British accent . . . although I suppose if this film is coming out of Hong Kong that'd be right, huh?)

Trailer: