I was surprised at how little information there is about this movie. This stunning piece of work is definitely worth more international regconition. The Emperor of Qin (Ching Shi Huang Ti) is a very popular figure here in Asia and everyone knows him thru history classes and here, is one of my favourite movie on the depiction of Emperor Qin.(221-207 BC.)

I had always admire Jiang Wen , and his cute,playful,fiercesome and brutal protrayal of the emperor is wonderful. Ge You is also great and comical at times. Ge You have won the International film festival best actor award twice.One for "To Live" the other for "Keep Cool". Both movies by Zhang Yimou.

The movies includes epic warfare, love, betrayal, friendship, stubborness, punishment, executions, tortures and power. Anything you should expect from and ancient epic, is all here.

The relationship of the two men in this movie is complicated, fascinating and touching. Full of emotions and feelings.

The entire movie from the beginning to the end are filled with gorgeous image and unbelivable scenarios. The opening sequence left me absolutely Speechless. The middle sequences left me in awe and terror and the final sequences left me in tears.

The Emperor's Shadow is a tremendous hit here in Asia.

Do not believe some of the US critics who down grade this film. From what I've read, some doesnt understand the culture and the history and some are political minded. See it for yourself and you decide.

Trust me. We, here in Asia knows best.

We came from our ancient ancestors of The Xia dynasty - ca.2000-1800 BC thru Qin,Han,Xin,Genghiz Khan to Kublai Khan who formed the Yuan Dynasty, and built the Imperial Palace (Forbidden City) and again thru Ming and finally Qing Dynasty (Empress Dowager Tsu Tzi /Aishin Goro Pu yi of Manchuria) to reach where we are in this modern world today 2001.

The Emperor's Shadow is visually sumptuous, with great cinematography and engaging history. Even if you are not a history fan. The movie can be enjoy via its visuals,ceremonies and scenery.

When exploring the Asian epics it is wonderful to find out that all the critics and the general ideas are wrong. First of all, not all Asian pictures are filled with martial arts nonsense. Far from it, I'd say.

And here is a truely great epic. It has been compared with Kurosawa's RAN, which is rather silly since that film has been made by one of the Founding Fathers of cinema, and also with BRAVEHEART, which comes pretty close.

Somehow this film keeps the mind spinning; the wonderful stories of Jorge Luis Borges about this First Chinese Emperor twists and turns in the back of the mind. The refusal of using too bright a' colours in wardrobe keeps you asking why we needed all these glistening colours with Bertolucci's tale of the LAST EMPEROR anyway.

Is this epic true to history ? I really couldn't tell. It might be... I do know it is a wonderful lush film, and within its grand scale it has found a way to talk about the small yet important things. It is a gorgeous epic, and romantic without the silliness we westerners usually mix in our grand stories...