Battle umbrellas. You heard me. Battle umbrellas. There are many reasons to appreciate if not flat-out love the Chinese warlord epic Shadow, but the thing I’m going to remember most about it is the machete-slatted battle umbrellas used on offense, defense and even as transportation down the rain-slickened cobblestone streets of Pei. Until now, I’d only seen umbrellas used on the attack in films where the hero was a middle-aged English guy, and they never held blades.
In tradition as old as politics and stretching to all corners of the globe, Commander Ziyu (Chao Deng) has a body double, a Shadow if you will. Claimed and raised precisely for his resemblance to Ziyu, Jingzhou (also Chao Deng) is the highest general in the army of King Peiliang (Zheng Kai). Most of this film is political intrigue and little more. There’s a lot of hanging out at the court talking strategy and Peiliang getting off on rousing skirmishes of “Deuling Zithers.” It’s a shame Peiliang doesn’t have a proper beard, cuz you just know he’d be stroking it every time he asked a question.
Between Ziyu and Jingzhou –I didn’t really get this part- one of them pissed off the rival chieftain, Yang King (Hu Jun). The film saves Yang for a while, merely hinting at his single combat prowess. The deal is Yang crippled Ziyu in a one-on-one match, which thrust Jing into the spotlight while Ziyu hides in a cave making yin/yang training floors. It is probable that Ziyu challenged Yang to a rematch for control of all Pei, but now Jing has gotta fight the battle. Meanwhile, King Peiliang didn’t exactly thrill over the politics of the grudge match which overstepped Jing/Ziyu authority. The thing is while Peiliang may think himself a despot, he’s a strange mix of shrewd political genius and either coward or humanitarian; it’s hard to say which.
This is all quite Shakespearean when you think about it. A King worried about his throne playing chess with an unseen opponent while we’re introduced to several pieces on the board. And once all that is firmly established, then –and only then- do they pull out the battle umbrellas. I swear I will never forget this stuff, because it’s not just about the umbrella; it’s about the tactics. Imagine a samurai battling a geisha … or a knight hacking at a ballerina … or Mike Tyson trying to land a punch against Michael Jackson and you kinda get the idea here.
Shot in color so muted it almost looks black & white, Shadow is a gorgeous film to watch. The costumes, rainfall, and accessories only add to the splendid cinematography. Shadow is also very slow moving; it takes forever to get to the good stuff, but this film has some really wonderful peaks. I can’t recommend to everybody for subtitles and sloth, but for fans of film or Shakespeare, Shadow is a must see.
♪I’m stinging in the rain
I’m flinging knives again
What an exhilaration
An opponent in pain
The soldiers above
Can’t pierce my design
Cuz I’m sheltered
And stinging in the rain♫
Not Rated, 116 Minutes
Director: Yimou Zhang
Writer: Wei Li and Yimou Zhang
Genre: Death by umbrella
Type of being most likely to enjoy this film: Fans of symbolism
Type of being least likely to enjoy this film: The impatient
♪ Parody Inspired by “Singin’ in the Rain”
