For those who pay attention to such things, Gong Li shows more skin than seems to be usual in Chinese movies. Not that it matters, of course, to people like you and me who only watch movies because of their cultural and artistic merit.
Impending doom overlays every scene in Ju Dou and the closed in, claustrophobic atmosphere creates an almost unbearable tension. The photography, of course, is exquisite, the acting subtle, and Gong Li is beautiful. The ending, however, is less that brilliant. A little unanticipated twist to Gong Li's fate might have made this an exceptional rather than just a very good movie.
Impending doom overlays every scene in Ju Dou and the closed in, claustrophobic atmosphere creates an almost unbearable tension. The photography, of course, is exquisite, the acting subtle, and Gong Li is beautiful. The ending, however, is less that brilliant. A little unanticipated twist to Gong Li's fate might have made this an exceptional rather than just a very good movie.