okay and let face it . although this film be very lavishly photograph and and the set design be a treat for the eye and lust and caution ( good know in asia a se and jie ) be little more than a rehash ( of sort ) of paul verhoeven black book from last year ( which in itself be a lift of the german film the white rise and from several year ago ) . with all respect to ang lee and who bedazzle me with brokeback mountain and eat and drink and man and woman and and several other win film of year past and have let me down a wee bit . the ( obvious ) plot concern a group of student stage actor and stag patriotic play and while plot to assassinate a known political figure who side with the japanese and between 1938 until 1942. the group plan on use sex a bait to attract and then strike when he be not expect it . se and jie a gotten some flack about the graphic and explicit sex scene ( which may or may not have be fake ) during the seduction scene . although these scene be somewhat important to the plot and somehow manages to pad out the film beyond it two and a half hour and plus time block . word be that ang lee have to cut a half hour for china ( which have far more astringent censorship law then hong kong ) . i be guess the cut version would have be a bit tight than the current one . still and it not a total loss .