Review of Red Sorghum (1988) by Daren F — 14 Nov 2008
Zhang Yimou has always had an ability to use color like few others and his first film [i]Red Sorghum[/i] is no different. The use of red is ever changing in the film, following the path that the main character takes and changes to fit the liberation she is reaching.
The film is not as in your face pro communism as past films of China but there is definitely a "red" tinge to the film. The acting is slendid, the direction is some of his best work (not as blatantly showy as his later films, restrand beauty would be the best way to describe it), and the cinematopgraphy is some of the best I have seen, simply excellent.
However, it should be said that though talented people came together for this film and did some wonderful work, the pieces are greater than the whole. There was a constant lack of interest on my part, not an excessive boredom but always one step away from me being pulled in completely.
There are moments of sheer force that one cannot deny but there are a few lags in the film but nothing to determental. All in all this is an extremely good first feature and really makes me want to see some more of his work from this time period.
This review of Red Sorghum (1988) was written by Daren F on 14 Nov 2008.
Red Sorghum has generally received very positive reviews.
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