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From the internationally renowned team of director Zhang Yimou and producer Bill Kong (Hero, House of Flying Daggers) comes a grand epic about the folly of war and the disintegration of one family under the weight of unrequited love, unforgivable betrayals, and the never-ending thirst for power.
 
When the King (Chow Yun Fat) unexpectedly returns home to his Queen (Gong Li) and two sons, he knows immediately that something is rotten in his lavish kingdom. His absence has given rise to love affairs, dangerous alliances, and malicious conspiracies all of which threaten to overthrow his power. However, it may well be the King's own dark secret that threatens him most of all....

Curse of the Golden Flower takes place in the Later Tang dynasty, more than 1,000 years ago.  The Tang was one of the most flamboyant dynasties in Chinese history.  There�s an old Chinese saying, �Gold and jade on the outside, rot and decay on the inside,� which means that beneath a beautiful exterior often lies a dark and appalling truth.  The story focuses on a dysfunctional imperial family.  Like any big family in feudal times, beneath the glamour, within the Palace, deep secrets are hidden. 

Zhang Yimou's action design excels in the battle sequence where thousands of golden armored warriors charge the Palace.  This pivotal, amid festive activities, the ugly secrets of the imperial family are being unraveled.   Outside the Palace, a coup d'�tat ensues.  This scene encapsulates the past and present of the imperial household.  The family confronts its biggest crisis while the regime is on the verge of total collapse. 

Very noticeable in Zhang Yimou's films, visual composition is of paramount importance to him.  And whilst this is clearly demonstrated in the films opulence, with lavish costumes and stunning cinematography, the film lacks in its somewhat weak story line. However, the grandeour of the film certainly outweighs this and the end result is elaborate and astonishing.