The best film of the year so far, destined to be underseen in what I assume will be a very short and minor theatrical run.

I've seen my fair share of Yimou Zhang films, and while this feels like a natural extension of his body of work, it also feels like nothing I've ever seen before. Jam-packed with twists and turns, this 'whodunnit' historical thriller will lull you into a sense of security before ripping the rug out from under you many times over to show you that the whole picture is still being obscured, even up until the final scene. I'd never heard of the poem that the film gets its title from, but once we get to the scene where they're reciting it in full, after all the build-up, it's a transcendent cinematic moment. And I must mention how insanely good Shen Teng is in this. First film I've had the pleasure of seeing him lead, and surely not my last. He's flawless. The film is most similar in theme to Hero, and in style to Shadow, but with a unique blend of black comedy, thanks to Teng, that gives this a vibe wholly its own. A film that champions the revolutionary power of prose over the temporary flash of a human life. Every action you take is bigger than you. See this if you can. The runtime is a hard pill to swallow, but that crescendo is worth it.