This film is a rather complicated film with a lot of inclusions. I really didn’t know where to start with the analysis for a while, but after watching this film, I have to admit that Chen Kaige is the most thoughtful director in mainland China. The depth of the works is rare in the Chinese film industry.
Therefore, it is easy to pick it up and start with the analysis of the main characters. Undoubtedly, the most important character in this film is naturally the King of Qin Yingzheng. The roughness of the king shown in the film is probably one of the main reasons why many people criticize it, but before being a king, Ying Zheng was first and foremost a person, and Chen Kaige's approach to human nature made the tragic characters of the film even stronger. As many people have said, we are all hostages of history. In fact, Ying Zheng is just a hostage of history. Looking at this film from a deeper level, we can also see that we are hostages of totalitarianism. Chen Kaige borrowed such a story, A historical figure reflects on the totalitarian thinking of the entire nation. People can even compare and analyze the King of Qin and MZD for the involuntary worship of totalitarianism and the uncontrollable disaster of totalitarianism. Some people say that Chen Kaige's film criticizes and reflects on the Cultural Revolution. , does not seem unreasonable. I think this film is an effective reflection on our nationality from the height of human nature.
Often in troubled times, heroes or dictators are easy to appear, why? The most important reason is that people need dictators. First , the emergence of totalitarianism is always utopian. Dictators often appear on the stage of history as a savior. He brings people hope and dreams of life, and his iron-fisted style becomes his sharp edge in solving problems. The appearance of the King of Qin is also the same. What the King of Qin promised to the world is that all the common people have a common motherland, they will no longer suffer from wars, they have meat to eat, they have clothes to wear, and a beautiful dream of world harmony (probably the King of Qin’s) The original intention is the same). Therefore, this utopian dream has fascinated many people. In the film, the focus is on Nv Zhao, and Nv Zhao has become a typical representative of the totalitarian burial. Of course, she finally repented. She loves Ying Zheng, and she unconsciously becomes Ying Zheng's accomplice, and her attitude is very naive - so that the people will no longer suffer from the war. Second , with the growth of totalitarianism, totalitarianism in turn clamps down on totalitarians. In order to maintain his kingship, Ying Zheng finally annihilated the six kingdoms in a very cruel way, killing his younger brother, exiling his mother, and forcing his father to death. These are all external forces imposed by totalitarianism on people. The most terrifying thing about totalitarianism is its internal driving force. For example, the last emperor's last commandment, which has always been called and spurred Ying Zheng in this film: Qin Wang Yingzheng, have you forgotten the great cause of unifying China? Through continuous propaganda and teaching, he has been internalized as the responsibility and obligation of the King of Qin, and has become the highest instruction of the King of Qin in his conduct. In addition, there are also burials like Lu Buwei who are willing to sacrifice their lives for totalitarianism. Lu Buwei chose to commit suicide so that his son could become king (Chen Kaige chose to play this role by himself, I am afraid there is a deep meaning). In the end, Ying Zheng became extremely cruel. He buried Zhao's children alive because he was afraid that they would take revenge in the future. In the end he became one of the most insecure and lonely people. King Qin became a thoroughly tragic figure in Chen Kaige's play.
Ying Zheng became king in the end, not only because of his personal ambition, but also because of the call and encouragement of the king's power, and a group of burials who were willing to practice the king's power. Ying Zheng stood up against the servility of the Chinese. Chen Kaige can criticize the totalitarian thinking and servility of our entire nation from the height of history, which is high enough to penetrate ancient and modern.
The character Jing Ke is also very interesting. In the beginning, he killed for money (survival), and finally the blind woman penetrated his heart: hatred can be seen by the heart even if the eyes cannot see it. In the end, he rekindled himself for love, his love for Zhao Nv. Finally, he sublimated this love to love for all people in the world through assassinating Qin. Although he was just a martyr in the end, at the end of the film, Nv Zhao was pregnant with Jing Ke's flesh and blood, rather than Nv Zhao becoming the king's woman, indicating that Chen Kaige chose not to submit to the king's power, but to nurture the seeds of great love in the world. King Qin and Jing Ke are just two shadows of one person.
Due to the requirements of the film's theme, the film's performance form and the audience's viewing experience have produced irreconcilable contradictions, making the film a complete failure at the box office. Of course, the film's grasp of details is still not in place, especially the handling of war scenes , there is no sense of hierarchy and rhythm, and Zhang Yimou is always better than Chen Kaige in this aspect.
There are also many sighs of family and country in the film, and sighs of human nature (the love of cheese and the queen), which will not be expanded.
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