House of Flying Daggers

I'm beginning to think this "chop socky" thing has run its course. We've seen all of this before: the super-skilled fighting, the tragic love, the fight for justice. At this point, repetition is setting in. However artfully choreographed they are, these souped up combat scenes are starting to blend with one another. And the "fight against the corrupt government" plot is so worn it's all down to tattered silk threads. (Side note: hey, Chinese people: how about actually fighting against a corrupt government, instead of just staring at it on a movie screen?) Still, Chinese cinema has made enormous strides, and the now standard quality level--particularly the stunningly beautiful cinematography--shows here too. If this is your genre, you'll probably want to see this movie; if not, you can probably let it fly by.