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The Promise
无极
2005 121 min China, Hong Kong, United States of America PG-13 12+
★5.7
Fantasy, Drama, Action, Thriller, Romance
Director: Kaige Chen
Trailers
Description
An orphaned girl, driven by poverty at such a young age, makes a promise with an enchantress. In return for beauty and the admiration of every man, she will never be with the man she loves. This spell cannot be broken unless the impossible happens: snow falling in spring and the dead coming back to life. Now a grown and beautiful princess, she regrets her promise, for all of the men she's loved has always been met with tragedy.
US Gross:
$669,625
Worldwide:
$31M
Starring
Cecilia Cheung
Actor
Jang Dong-gun
Actor
Hiroyuki Sanada
Actor
Awards
Golden Globe 2006
— Best International Feature Film
Key opinion
Chen Kaige’s The Promise is a divisive work of high-budget visual maximalism that prioritizes mythic atmosphere and striking aesthetics over narrative grounding. While many viewers are enthralled by its lush, operatic presentation, others find the storytelling illogical, derivative, or emotionally hollow.
| Production | The film features breathtaking, high-quality production design and cinematography that create a luxurious and memorable visual experience. | |
| Score | Klaus Badelt’s evocative musical score is widely recognized as a standout element that enhances the film's mythic tone. | |
| Screenplay | The narrative's reliance on mythic, archetypal storytelling creates a polarizing divide between those who find it a deep exploration of fate and those who view the character motivations as absurd or illogical. | |
| Originality | Opinions on the film's originality are split, with some praising its unique take on Eastern fantasy tropes and others dismissing it as a derivative imitation of more iconic genre entries like 'Hero'. |