TEMPTATION OF A MONK
(YOU SENG)
A film review by James Berardinelli
Copyright 1995 James Berardinelli
RATING (0 TO 10): 6.9
Hong Kong, 1993 U.S. Availability: varies Running Length: 1:58 MPAA Classification: No MPAA Rating (Extreme violence, nudity, sex) Theatrical Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Cast: Wu Hsin-kuo, Joan Chen, Zhang Fengyi, Michael Lee, Lisa Lu Director: Clara Law Producer: Teddy Robin Kwan Screenplay: Eddie Fong Ling-Ching and Lilian Lee Cinematography: Andrew Lesnie Music: Tats Lau U.S. Distributor: Northern Arts Entertainment In Chinese with subtitles
With its grand, colorful pageantry and cast of characters unable to provoke an emotional response from the audience, TEMPTATION OF A MONK is a curious mix of the good, the bad, and the ugly. Containing ample portions of sex and graphic violence, this picture serves up exploitation fare for an upscale, art-house audience.
The plot, which is occasionally difficult to follow (undoubtedly due to East/West cultural differences), tells a story from the early years of China's Tang dynasty (circa 626 AD). General Shi (Wu Hsin-kuo) is a fiercely-loyal, greatly-feared battle commander whose prince, one of three sons vying for the Emperor's throne, is incompetent. When an offer comes from rival general Huo Da (Zhang Fengyi, from FAREWELL MY CONCUBINE) for a bloodless coup if Shi will command his troops to offer no resistance, the stage is set for betrayal. The takeover turns out to be bloody and Shi's troops (not to mention his prince) are slaughtered. Distraught, the general abandons his chance for glory in the new regime, turns his back on a princess who loves him (Joan Chen), and flees to an out-of-the-way monastery, where he shaves his head and accepts the 10 Buddhist prohibitions.
There are three exceptionally energetic battle scenes in TEMPTATION OF A MONK, but the sequences linking them are by turns slow, confusing, and disjointed. The chief problem seems to be that actor Wu Hsin-kuo plays the main character in such a detached fashion that it's difficult to see beneath the mask of self-pity. There's nothing in Shi for the audience to connect with, and he comes across as exceptionally shallow. The same is true of the villain, Huo Da, and the love interest, Princess Scarlet. The only character with a real personality is the 100-year old Abbot of the monastery where Shi seeks refuge. Played with good cheer and a wry wit by Michael Lee, this man has words for the moment and wisdom for the centuries.
Like many recent Chinese exports, TEMPTATION OF A MONK attempts to weave an individual story into a larger, historical backdrop. However, unlike FAREWELL MY CONCUBINE and TO LIVE, Clara Law's feature doesn't get the personal story right. The director does a good job with the epic portion, but when it comes to developing Shi's tale, things don't always work. This is supposed to be an examination of how battle can convert a warrior into a seeker of peace and truth, but the violent climax nullifies much of what TEMPTATION is trying to say. In the end, the film offers evidence that ambitious stories of this sort need a strong, identifiable protagonist -- something TEMPTATION OF A MONK too obviously lacks.
- James Berardinelli (jberardinell@delphi.com)
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