SIFF: The Woman Knight of Mirror Lake
On Thursday night, for my seventh SIFF film, I saw "The Woman Knight of Mirror Lake", a Hong Kong historical martial arts drama about a female revolutionary set in the early 1900s. With impressive production values, sets, and costumes, not-bad acting (but no Oscar winners here, for sure), impressive scenery, and eye-popping martial-arts action that more than strained credulity (on which more in a moment), the film was compelling to look at. It tells a fascinating story based on a real woman's life, that of Qiu Jin--poet, mother, feminist-before-there-was-such-a-thing, warrior, and martial artist--who was a pivotal figure in key revolutionary events in China.
Early on, Qiu Jin's rebellious nature shows through when, as a child, she refuses to allow her feet to be bound and wants to learn the things her brother studies. Eventually she marries and pushes her husband into purchasing a position in the government; it's their job together, she feels, to make change in a country which desperately needs it. When it becomes clear that he doesn't have what it takes to be faithful to her or to be an effective functionary, she leaves to pave her own way and make a difference. She goes to Japan to get an education, speaks about rights, writes poetry, and meets (or more accurately, spends more time with) her cousin Xu Xilin (Yu-Hang To, a.k.a Dennis To, who I have a baby crush on), who becomes a sort of mentor/best friend/partner-in-crime, and who encourages Qiu Jin in her revolutionary aspirations. When they return to China, it becomes clear to Qiu Jin that she can't go back to her old life with her husband and children; she must follow her convictions and fight the power.
The film provided an entertaining evening, though I did find myself losing patience with both the script and the subtitles. On the one hand, some of Qiu Jin's speeches sounded as though they'd been written as official statements of policy--stilted and awkwardly scripted. Other dialog that should have been dramatic and emotionally affecting just fell flat. I knew that a lot was getting lost in translation, but I couldn't take seriously some things that were intended to be deadly serious. I was frustrated with the overall effect. It's never explained why, precisely, Qiu Jin is referred to as the woman knight of Mirror Lake. The martial arts in the film were terrific and, at the same time, with all the wire work a little too unnatural for me. I rarely see Hong Kong flicks like this, so the environment isn't entirely a comfortable one for me.
Still, it was good to see a film about a strong, independent woman, clearly a big-budget epic that introduced me to a figure about whom I'd previously been unaware. Good enough, certainly.
Early on, Qiu Jin's rebellious nature shows through when, as a child, she refuses to allow her feet to be bound and wants to learn the things her brother studies. Eventually she marries and pushes her husband into purchasing a position in the government; it's their job together, she feels, to make change in a country which desperately needs it. When it becomes clear that he doesn't have what it takes to be faithful to her or to be an effective functionary, she leaves to pave her own way and make a difference. She goes to Japan to get an education, speaks about rights, writes poetry, and meets (or more accurately, spends more time with) her cousin Xu Xilin (Yu-Hang To, a.k.a Dennis To, who I have a baby crush on), who becomes a sort of mentor/best friend/partner-in-crime, and who encourages Qiu Jin in her revolutionary aspirations. When they return to China, it becomes clear to Qiu Jin that she can't go back to her old life with her husband and children; she must follow her convictions and fight the power.
The film provided an entertaining evening, though I did find myself losing patience with both the script and the subtitles. On the one hand, some of Qiu Jin's speeches sounded as though they'd been written as official statements of policy--stilted and awkwardly scripted. Other dialog that should have been dramatic and emotionally affecting just fell flat. I knew that a lot was getting lost in translation, but I couldn't take seriously some things that were intended to be deadly serious. I was frustrated with the overall effect. It's never explained why, precisely, Qiu Jin is referred to as the woman knight of Mirror Lake. The martial arts in the film were terrific and, at the same time, with all the wire work a little too unnatural for me. I rarely see Hong Kong flicks like this, so the environment isn't entirely a comfortable one for me.
Still, it was good to see a film about a strong, independent woman, clearly a big-budget epic that introduced me to a figure about whom I'd previously been unaware. Good enough, certainly.