The Assassin Review (Toronto International Film Festival)

Foreign cinema is a very insightful genre, educating its audience on distant places and cultures; the likes of Bollywood and Hong Kong cinema among other filmmaking companies have exposed people to vastly different stories and characters over the years. After nearly seven years since his last film, director Hou Hsiao-Hsien has returned to the big screen with The Assassin, a masterfully executed effort into the martial arts sub-genre.

Taking place at the end of the Tang Dynasty where provinces were rebelling against the central government, The Assassin follows Yinniang (Shu Qi), an efficient yet conscience driven warrior trained by a nun over many years. Her teacher orders her to kill Lord Tian Ji’an (Chang Chen), the leader of rogue province Weibo who also happens to be a man Yinniang was once betrothed to. Yinniang agrees to carry out this mission, but as things move along and more characters enter the fray, she begins to question her place in the political struggle. The first thing you notice about The Assassin is that it’s a very methodical and character driven movie; if you were expecting something similar to Crouching Tiger: Hidden Dragon or House of Flying Daggers then you’ll have to temper your expectations as that’s not what it’s about. The Assassin is a deep, thoughtful look at the power struggles that plagued China in the 9^th century and the characters caught at their centre; the film is comprised of very slow paced dialogue scenes where details about the characters as well as their culture and time period are gradually revealed. There are a few sprinklings of fight scenes here and there, but for the most part the film lingers on several key locations, mirroring Yinniang’s swift and silent mannerisms. You’ll find yourself highly invested in the story as things go on, pondering over what Yinniang will choose to do and how this will affect the other characters. The one thing that I would have liked to have seen more of was further backstory and exploration of the central government; throughout most of the film, they’re fairly omnipresent, only existing in character conversations and occasionally popping up to make their presence felt. Aside from this minor gripe, both the plot and characters are both well thought out and believable, drawing us in to the story.

The Assassin is an unbelievably stunning film to look at, with authenticity, sweeping cinematography and beautiful scenery all coming together to form a lovely work of art. Keeping in line with the film’s slow pace, the camera will often pan around the environment, showing the audience every last detail of the interior sections of the film. This is matched by the well-choreographed action scenes, which are quick and extravagant for the short time they take place; there’s never a moment where the action is obscured or where the characters blend into the backgrounds. Subtle touches throughout the film add layers upon layers of cultural depth, from the sprinkling of herbs in a bath to the clothes worn by the characters; much like other film in its genre, The Assassin not only gives its audience strong characters but also a detailed look at life and culture of the time period and this makes the film all the more engaging. There is also a near complete lack of background music as well; instead the film makes use of traditional instruments to transfer the audience into the film’s location even more; the beating of a drum in particular is particularly effective at creating a foreboding tension that serves as a consistent reminder that Yinniang is lurking unseen in the shadows. The Assassin’s cinematography is incredibly striking; even if you can’t get into the plot and characters, the film will utterly dazzle and enthral you with its visuals. It’s clear that Hou Hsiao-Hsien and company poured all their heart, soul and artistic vision into this aspect of the film. 

Silent, serene and exquisite, The Assassin is another fine example of just how absorbing and engaging foreign cinema can be. The plot, characters and presentation are all put together so well that it’s easy to overlook any small niggling flaws. While it may only receive a limited release in countries outside of China, it’s a film that will undoubtedly entertain and immerse its audience in a way rarely present in typical Hollywood movies.

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars