Confucius (DVD/Blu-ray Combo)

I am not sure I would rank this film with Spartacus or The Ten Commandments, but it is a very good movie, well filmed, with many aesthetically pleasing scenes. I cannot really speak about the historical accuracy of the film. The last book I read on Confucius was in college many years ago written by Herrlee Creel ( Confucius and the Chinese Way ). Though my Chinese history professor thought it was the best book Creel ever wrote, I am sure it is dated by now. The more current biography by Ann-ping Chin,  The Authentic Confucius: A Life of Thought and Politics , has received good reviews and may provide more insights into Confucius' life.Unfortunately, I do not understand Chinese, so like the other reviewers, I am reduced to reading subtitles. There are "double subtitles," too. Some subtitles are incorporated into the film that provide historical background, another set of subtitles provide dialogue translations at the very bottom of the screen, and, yes, they move a bit quickly and can appear simultaneously, so you might miss things the first time through. Fortunately, the film is worthy of multiple viewings, so don't worry about this too much. The two scenes that impressed me the most were a dialogue between Lao Tzu and Confucius, probably inspired by the Chuang Tzu, shot as a dream sequence, as the two of them probably never met and the actual existence of Lao Tzu still a subject of debate, and the death of Yan Hui, one of Confucius' favorite disciples, who loses his life trying to save books from a lake. Both scenes have beautiful color and use light with great effect, especially Yan Hui's death scene in which the action is slowed down. You don't have to be a book lover to appreciate his courage and nobility in trying to rescue the things of greatest importance to Confucius and his disciples.Chow-yun Fat's performance is very human. Confucius is portrayed not as an icon, but as a multi-dimensional and somewhat complicated character who maintains his principles despite adversity. However,I would have liked to have seen more in the way of relationship building between Confucius and his students. The film portrays Confucius' interaction with his students in wide bipolar swings, either aloof and restrained or deeply emotional and attached, depending on the narrative's needs. Developing the student-teacher relationships would have provided a venue for revealing more of Confucius' philosophy, which, I am sad to say, is a little weak in its presentation. While there is much mention of "humanity" and "propriety," important Confucian themes, discussion of the "Five Great Relationships," the character of human nature, or "filial" obligations seems slight and indirect. Though these themes are well incorporated into the plot, they somewhat suffer from it, as the plot can become complicated and hard to follow demanding careful attention from the viewer. Confucian philosophy can become secondary and obscured by the narrative. Notably, in first half of the film, when a political triangulation and court intrigue undermine Confucius' authority and sends him into exile. Confucian ritual is portrayed, but I think its significance is lost to the Western viewer. Consequently, Confucius, though very human, lacks intellectual depth, and a shallow sage he was not.

This movie attempts to present Confucius via a series of vignettes spanning much of his adult life. There is a distinct lack of flow and continuity, however, in the desire to cover such a long timeframe. The result, unfortunately, is a series of somewhat disjoint and sometimes confusing sets of events which can be hard to follow. This approach also means some characters appear and disappear from the storyline which adds to the confusion. We do not get any clear picture of the development or basis of his thinking. It is as though the intended audience are those who are already familiar with the biography of Confucius. Chow Yun-Fat can only act inscrutable so many times before it just adds to sense of the distance from the main character. As other reviewers have noted, the English subtitles go by fast, which also adds to the challenge of watching this move.That said, I still give it 3.5 stars, rounding up to 4. It conveys a poignancy, a sense his times and challenges, and is generally visually attractive and well-done. I think it may be better the second time around, as the choppy nature of the story will not be so jarring. Finally, Zhou Xun as the character Nanzi is absolutely amazing in her combination of intensity, subtlety and poignancy.

Great acting, cinematography and storyline. This movie enhanced my respect for the wisdom and devotion to principle that Confucius represented.

I purchased this movie because I was interested in learning more about Confucius. I did and it was wonderful. You must keep in mind, watching the movie, that Confucius lived in 450 BC..BC, The civility of the people, though it is a feudal and war-torn time, is amazing. I knew of the formality and codes of that period, but you truly grasp the effect of them in the movie. They were much more advanced than peoples in the rest of the world and considered manners and philosophy a way of life- again-B.C. and were comparative to Greece. Cast acting and direction very good. But the focal point is the man, his journey and the progressive impact he had on his society. Villified and betrayed, he was true to his teaching of honor, compassion, loyalty and human striving for the good of all. He was a remarkable man. The movie is profound, beautiful and sad. If you appreciate these things, you will treasure this film.

It was new condition. Great condition. I started to watch it but I have roommates, and I had it far too loud, so I turned it off. It will be a good movie to play soon.

I found this to be a great movie. From the start, it evokes the ancient times of constant warfare and the philosophical problems of endless social conflict he aimed at solving. The sets are perfect and the humanity and humor of the Chinese people comes through. Forget the foul caricature of the "Christian missionaries" that made him into some sort of a clown. He was a serious, courageous, suffering philosopher and political adviser. More then entertainment, it seems like a history lesson as well. Just as today, leaders didn't want to hear it. It's conflicts are adult, realistic and spiritual but there are also battle scenes. Watch it in English with English subtitles and savor the dialogue.

This is a must for all Chinese movie fans. To see the life of The Great Teacher, was wonderful. Chow You Fat played him magnificently. I watched it with English subtitles and I was able to follow along and watch the drama, the action and the emotion that this movie brings forth. With No problem. My only quirk with the film is that whenever they introduced a new character or location in the film, the small script on screen describing the event that was not part of the subtitles was VERY small and VERY hard to read and sometimes it went by very fast. Aside from that Everyone who wants to know more about The Great Teacher should watch this film.

Confucius is not a very good movie. Chow Yun Fat is a fine actor and plays well, but that is not enough to save the film, because the acting isn't the problem. The acting overall is good. It's the story that is the problem. Why is Confucius such a great man. Why was his teaching and wisdom so important for the whole of China, even for the China of today. This film doesn't give any answers to those questions. That's what you want to see in a biopic of the greatest philosopher of China.We see one nice battle scene, that's actualy to short. We see Confucius wanderings for a long time of his life. But we do not get any extra insights in his thinking or teachings. We see and learn more about some of his students than about the man himself.I was disappointed by this film. This could have been great, but it is very mediocre. A missed opportunaty.

I was looking to understand the story of confucius and this is a good synopsis of the events in his life and the chinese events at that time. It is not a major action movie so a good film for a bit of history. It doesn't cover the philosophies very well which I was a little disappointed about.

If you want to know about the 'historical Confucius' and what he taught then you'd be better off reading a book, however, if you're looking for an accessible introduction to the man and legends/ myth/ historical narratives surrounding him then this is surely the place to start. You may gain more, though, after reading up on Confucius, his disciples and times. As a film it is well paced, beuatifully shot and fantastically put together. All in all, an excellent product. Whether you agree with Confucius' philosophy and ideas or not he is clearly one of the great figures of world history and a tremednous influence not just in China but across much of the Far East and this film will fill you in on a contemporary understanding of him from that context.

Well acted and great story. Nice change to have a film with a story without long car chases and everything blowing up. A film you could watch again and again.

If you like Chinese films, action mixed with a little history, you'll love this.