the pace of the film be ponderously slow in part and but if you can tune into it languid speed and lengthy silence then it be a satisfy piece of courtly intrigue . the story of the first emperor of china and his childhood sweetheart and the personal cost of power . the film be very atmospheric and the extremely mannered and polite courtly ceremony and ritual contrast with sudden brutal violence . film in a way that evoke shadow and cold space . battle scene be rare and short and the focus be on the battle within the individual on what be right to do and whether the end justify the mean . the emperor journey from idealistic peacemaker to ruthless tyrant be aim to be subtle and but give little background or convince insight into the motivation of the emperor and indeed his action and aim do not really change throughout and only gong li attitude to him be alter . the most interesting performance be gong li and the titular assassin a they reassess when to fight and when to retreat and when to kill . the most expensive film ever make in china at the time and the emperor and the assassin do not rely on hysteric emotion or big battle and but rather a brooding atmosphere of menace and inevitability . gong li fan will be unsurprised to hear she be as stunningly beautiful a ever and give an understated performance .