The Assassin
Director: Hou Hsiao-Hsien
Talent: Qi Shu, Chen Chang, Satoshi Tsumabuki, Shao-Huai Chang
Release Date: 22nd January 2016
Set in 8th century China, in the middle of the Tang dynasty, Hou Hsiao-Hsien’s latest is the story of Yinniang (Qi), the eponymous assassin who, trained by her aunt, a nun, in the ways of the sword, is sent to mete out vigilante justice by killing various corrupt authority figures. When her ruthlessness is called into question, her aunt gives her her most taxing contract yet: to kill Ji’an (Chang), the leader of the Weibo province, but also her cousin, to whom she was formerly betrothed.
It bears remarking that the narrative of The Assassin, complex though it is, is largely incidental to the overall experience of watching the film. That is, to sit in awe at Hou’s wonderfully languid, beautifully evocative direction. Favouring extended shots and rigid composition, Hou nevertheless manages to fill every frame with purpose and, crucially, movement within the shot, whether of silk curtains blown through the mise-en-scène, characters engaging in traditional dance rituals or simply the roiling of foliage in the distance, and it often feels like a pleasure to take it all in. This is a film of extraordinary beauty made by a director who knows the value of patience and, more importantly, how to demonstrate it. Visually it is as striking as any Chinese film since the early work of Zhang Yimou, *Ju Dou* or *Raise the Red Lantern* (of the latter of which Hou was a producer).
The sparseness of its storytelling style makes for an unexpected poignancy to proceedings, lending an allegorical, timeless quality to its narrative of betrayal, mercy and revenge. Hou’s reverence for the material is clear, and the resultant film is as defiantly non-commercial, provocative and unique-looking as anything made in the last ten years. A towering technical achievement with real heart.
Words: Oisín Murphy-Hall
