This film focuses on the life of Empress Dowager Cixi and tells the story of her last decades. Through the thirteen maids around Empress Dowager Cixi, the film reveals the court life at that time and the situation of women in traditional society. The lines of the film are all classical Chinese in the late Qing Dynasty, which is more in line with the historical background and characters at that time, and also highlights the elegant temperament of women.
The picture of the film is exquisite and delicate, especially the scenery and modeling in the palace, which restores the atmosphere of the Qing palace and gives the audience an immersive feeling. The soundtrack is also excellent, especially when it shows the dignity and emotional turning point of Empress Dowager Cixi, and the music is even more outstanding, adding a lot of emotional resonance to the film.
The whole film has shown extraordinary strength in historical restoration, film quality and actor performance. Director Zhang Yimou not only redefined the concept of literary films, but also opened a new round of attempts for China films. It is worth mentioning that the excellent cast in the film adds a lot of color to the film. The wonderful performances of many actresses such as Gong Li, Li Bingbing and Zhou Xun made the audience feel the strength and fearlessness of women in that era.
In a word, flowers of war is a film with artistic value and historical significance. It successfully takes Cixi as the breakthrough point and shows a history of women. This film not only expresses Zhang Yimou's love for traditional culture, but also conveys a well-deserved praise for women in China.