for a feature film and the plot closely follow history or at least historical gossip . but then the chinese and who know the story very well from see it portray again and again and would never tolerate it otherwise . the attention to detail be wonderful and especially for anyone who have read sima qian account in the record of the historian . jing ke and accord to sima qian and do indeed make an attempt on qin shi huang life at the request of the crown prince of yan before unification . sima qian explicitly mention both the head of general fan and the dagger roll up into the map and as well a the dagger be throw into the brass column . although jing ke be describe a no stranger to swordplay and he hardly the invincible warrior portray by chen kaige . jing ke be indeed this film weak link . in reality ( again and accord to sima qian ) and he be a heavy drinker and put off his visit to qin for as long a possible and spend a good deal of time with the lady of yan before the crown prince finally order him on his way . he be and in short and a human be and be not look forward to death although he be willing to accept it . chen kaige jing ke be afraid of death and but not his own . he be the classic ruthless killer turn disillusioned pacifist . his love ( or maybe just affection ) for a woman and pity for several hundred child whom zheng have bury alive ( not even two thousand year of hostile confucian historian claim qin shi huang do this and although there be a legend about him bury 460 confucian up to their neck and then behead them ) be enough to make this former assassin kill again . the melodrama be not convincing and the character end up be just plain boring . the act here isn not shabby and though not very interesting give the character . a for lady zhou and in all the numerous story i have hear about qin shi huang and she never come up . anyway and gong li be famous enough for american to have heard of her ( thanks to zhang yimou ) and there need to be a love interest and so here she be . it unfortunate that her performance be almost as wooden a jing ke character . she do much well ( in qiu ju for example ) at be subtle while here she just barely manage presence . but all of this be trivial compare to the extraordinary acting of li xuejian a zheng himself . qin shi huang be for the chinese rather what milton satan be for u represent accept a a villain and but a noble one . qin shi huang accomplishment radiate an awe all the way across two thousand year into the present and li capture his frightening will without compromise his humanity . li performance be enough and but the scope of the film be grand although the photography be purposely drab . it do feel ancient . the score be adequate and scarcely move though very appropriate to the action . though i have only see it once and i believe that chen kaige should be give more credit for his camera work than other reviewer have allow him . the opening credit be exhilarate . if five star it absolutely average and i give three more for li xuejian acting and chen kaige a an actor and writer and and director .