Chinese films always have their own unique character and Shadow is an excellent example of the power of this cinema Directed by the genius Zhang Yimou in 2018 this film is not just a historical film it is a moving work of art that combines drama tragedy and action.
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Story
The story revolves around a complex political game in the era of ancient kingdoms in China when a person shadow of the real ruler is used to be able to move freely and achieve his political and military plans The tragedy here is that this shadow lives a life other than his life and is always in a terrible psychological and physical struggle between loyalty freedom and proving himself.
The acting here is amazing in every sense of the word The characters live every moment of the tragedy whether the ruler who lives in the shadow or the characters around him who are forced to make very difficult decisions, The scenes are full of emotions and it is difficult not to sympathize with the characters.
Photography
If you love cinema that pays attention to detail Shadow will be a visual dream for you Zhang Yimou used a color palette that is almost entirely black white and gray which reflects the main idea of the film the struggle between light and darkness truth and deception.
Every shot in the film is designed like an artistic painting from the costume design to the battles that are closer to a visual dance than just ordinary action The battle with the metal umbrellas for example was one of the most creative and wellcrafted scenes.
Powerful Acting and Tragic Scenes
As we always see in Chinese films the acting is at the peak of mastery The characters not only convey feelings through words but every movement and every look has a meaning The tragic scenes in Shadow grab you by the heart and make you feel the suffering of the characters to the point that you might cry with them because of how realistic and touching the performance is.
Shadow is not just a historical or action film it is a film that combines art drama and cinematography in a very innovative way It is one of the films that proves that Chinese cinema has the ability to always amaze us whether with the visual details or the stories that touch us If you like movies with visual and dramatic depth dont miss the opportunity to watch this movie.
In a Sentence: Shadow is a masterpiece and anyone who loves cinema that cares about story performance and visual dazzle at the same time will like it.
