The Flowers of War
Director: Zhang Yimou
By Alex Watson
Chinese director Zhang Yimou has delivered us some of the most beautifully shot cinema of the past decade, film such as the lush and colourful Hero which contains some of the most astounding imagery ever capture on celluloid and the equally impressive House of Flying Daggers which featured the well known ‘Echo Game’ scene which proved truly heart stopping! Already well established to western audiences, Yimou this week bring us his own vision of the Japanese invasion of Nanking, China in his new film, The Flowers of War.
John Miller (Christian Bale) is an American mortician who has arrived in Nanking, China but as he does he quickly realizes the Japanese have begun an invasion. At first a drunken opportunist who has come to make money of burying an old priest, Miller is soon forced to take refuge inside a Catholic Cathedral. Very soon he is forced to become a protector of the young girls who preside within the compounds and to do this he pretends to the Japanese that he is the residing priest! As he bonds with the students, Miller is also faced with some difficult choices ahead!
The Flowers of War is very unlike many Zhang Yimou films before it, there are many memorable images in this film of course, but there are also many which show just how savage ‘The Rape of Nanking’ was by the Japanese. The battle sequences are rousing and Yimou films them expertly. Particular when the lone soldier left in Nanking, Major Li (Tong Dawei) takes on a group of Japanese soldiers single handed. The vain efforts of the Chinese justify the horrific situation they are faced with, and when the last line disappears we realise that Miller is truly on his own here!
Redemption is a big theme surrounding Yimou’s film, when we first John Miller the man is frankly- a jerk! He is in this hellish place solely for monetary gain and openly confesses that he drinks at any opportunity. But as he sobers up, his eyes are opened to the true horrors surrounding him! It is in this sequence where Miller realizes that he can make a difference and through this a deep bond is formed with the girls who begin to refer to him as ‘Father John’ and his former shadowy self begins to be redeemed!
Another vital subplot involves the arrival of fourteen flamboyant prostitutes who take shelter inside the cathedral. The initially involvement is an annoyance to the young girls, but it gives the story a massive strength! The hookers with the hearts of gold are a notion that has been well covered in cinema previously, but it’s the presence of their de-facto leader Yu Mo (Ni Ni) that makes it different. Yu Mo provides the stability and strong female presence that is needed for the group and her blossoming romance with Miller is one of the movie’s most touching elements.
In many ways it is a shame that The Flowers of War has received such a limited release in the United Kingdom because it is one of the most heart wrenching films we are likely to find this year. Zhang Yimou’s film has an entire spectrum of emotion to it and this is the movies principle strength because we never know what are going to feel next. And as we leave the cinema this feeling stays with us and we just sense that this film will hang on our minds for days to come.
The ever present man of cinema this year, Christian Bale rings in another brilliant central turn as Miller. Some might sneer at his characters change of persona and call it a clique. But it really doesn’t matter as Bale is truly magnificent and gives us one of the emotionally driven performances of the year! His Miller may be unlikable at first, but war can change people in ways we can’t imagine!
But its debutant Ni Ni that makes the strongest impression as Yu Mo; and her beauty is only matched by her charm. But she isn’t just all looks; Ni Ni also brings gentleness to her role that makes her essential to the story. This is one career we shall watch with interest and it appears Yimou has found his next Gong Li!
This is another giant step towards a western production by Zhang Yimou, and I truly hope this comes to fruition because he is possibly the most stunning visual director in Asian cinema today. The Flowers of War is a very brutal yet extremely beautiful film that will leave a lasting impression for a long time! Shame on you Oscar for ignoring this and next time Yimou comes around you better pay closer attention!
Closer to the Edge 