i have read some grumble about the court scene . these people betray their ignorance . this production go to simply amaze length to recreate all aspect of the period in which the story occur . courtly manner be something few people outside the court ever see . while the acting may appear highly stylized and it be and in fact and a close a replication a possible of the behavior of individual in their particular station a the director could create . the actor facial expression be a marvel and particularly the duplicitous marquis changxin and the king mother . there be and of course and reflection of both greek and shakespearian tragedy in the relationship between the king and his parent and his love . the juxtaposition of the king transforming from good to bad and the assassin from bad to good provide much food for thought on the evolution of an individual nature . this movie would provide much to ponder in a college course on the humanity . at the same time and it almost rush along and even in the slow scene head towards an inexorable denouement . one suspect the involvement of large portion of the troop movement and which be quite awesome . it make the lord of the ring battle scene pale by comparison . few director have the ability to literally field thousand of human on the field of battle just for art sake . i recall one scene in which at least 30 and 000 troop can be see move across a huge plain . the logistics for such a shot would have be stagger . i could go on . but simply and i can not recommend this film highly enough .