Over the last few years, I have seen a great many Chinese films, as well as many other Asian films (Korean films are my personal favorites) and have generally been more than pleased with all aspects of the films. Having recently seen Hero, a revival of Days of Being Wild @ the Film Forum in NYC and Goodbye Dragon Inn I was looking forward to seeing Purple Buttefly. They are usually all well acted, directed and offer interesting and compellign stories. I was also interested in seeing Purple Buttefly since I recently returned from a trip to China that included a visit to Shanghai.Now, the reality: I found this film to be a complete muddle -- highly confusing and very difficult to follow. (wish I had read the other two reviews before I went off to see this film.) I found myself ready to get up and leave several times.... there are these long pauses where nothing takes place ...(more time is spent lighting cigarettes than anything else in the film) and people are forever pulling huge pistols out of drawers....and the violence is almost made ludicrous with all the "ketchup" used to signify bloody encounters... OK, enough said.....
Review of Purple Butterfly
