Karazen.com | The Banquet 2006 Trailer : Ziyi Zhang Zhou Xun Feng Xiaogeng

The Banquet (2006)

Directed by Feng Xiaogang

Choreographer: Yuen Wo-ping

Starring Ziyi Zhang, Zhou Xun, Daniel Wu, Ge You

Release Date: Fall 2006

Synopsis: "The Banquet" is set in ancient China during the Period of Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms (907-960 AD), when dynasties succeed each other rapidly in the north and a dozen of independent states vie with one another in the south. Meanwhile, the neighboring Khitan Empire is on the prowl in Manchuria, ready to conquer China when the moment arises.

Against this background of internal turmoil and external threat lives a legendary queen. As beautiful as she is young, and as limber as she is smart, Empress Wan (Ziyi Zhang) can launch a thousand ships with her charm and fight a hundred soldiers with her sword. But something is lacking in her life. Unfulfilled in her royal boudoir, she harbors forbidden desires for her stepson Prince Wu Luan (Daniel Wu), an introverted and melancholic young man four months her senior, who shies away from the palace to indulge in the ancient art of music and dance.

The Banquet Trailer

When the Emperor dies all of a sudden and his virile younger brother Li (Ge You) takes over the throne, Wan shocks everyone by agreeing to marry Li, convinced that this is the only way to protect Wu Luan while sealing her own position in the court. But Li is no fool, however infatuated he might be with his sister-in-law, he only pretends to buy into her scheme to consummate his lust. Oblivious to Wan, he has dispatched his guards to kill his nephew.

Already devastated by his father’s death and stunned by his stepmother’s impending wedding with his uncle, Wu Luan is pushed to the end of his tether when he realizes his own life is being threatened. After warding off the assassination attempt in a ferocious fight scene, he determines to return to the palace and revenge himself by killing his uncle, whom he believes has murdered his father.

No sooner has Wu Luan returned to the palace than he finds himself inextricably trapped in a double love triangle: on the one hand, there is Wan, on the other, Qing Nu (Zhou Xun), the daughter of the conniving Grand Marshall. As pure as snow, Qing Nu is head over heels in love with Wu Luan, and she is ready to sacrifice her life for him.

When Emperor Li proclaims that a big banquet will be held for his ministers, Wu Luan realizes it is the time to strike. Meanwhile, Empress Wan and the Grand Marshall also have their own plans to hatch…

Cast List

Ziyi Zhang - The Banquet

Ziyi Zhang

Zhou Xun - The Banquet

Zhou Xun

Ge You - The Banquet

Ge You

Daniel Wu - The Banquet

Daniel Wu

In Depth: With an astonishing budget of US $20 million, Media Asia and Huayi Brothers' latest collaboration, The Banquet, aggregates the most talented cineastes in China and Hong Kong, for director Feng Xiaogang to master his creative strokes on the alternative side of Chinese historical culture. This film will bring pride to every Chinese in the world."

The A-list creative team includes director Feng Xiaogang, acclaimed martial arts choreographer Yuen Wo-ping who also acted as producer, Oscar-winning production designer Tim Yip, and Oscar-winning composer Tan Dun. "The film's superior budget enables us to recruit the top-tier talents," said Feng. "They will definitely alleviate much of my work."

Director Feng Xiaogang was elated to have cast the perfect actress for the leading role. "I considered myself won during filming, because I’ve found the right actress. Ziyi is the center of the entire film, and she gave and outstanding performance!" Ziyi returned Feng's gratitude and thanked the director for offering the challenge of this complicated character to her.

The Banquet marks Daniel Wu's debut in such a colossal production. The actor confessed he was exhilarated since Day 1, and it's all because of Feng Xiaogang. "I'm a fan of director Feng's works as they're quite distinctive in style. This is a wonderful learning opportunity and all of my co-stars are real professionals. Having collaborated with Zhou Xun previously, Daniel praised her distinctive character. "We probably get along well because we're the same age with the same horoscope." As for Ziyi Zhang, "I didn't know her well before the shoot, only her beauty. Our first scene together was a fight sequence, and I naively assumed that pretty girls didn't fight. But she performed all her own stunts with minimal clothing and bare feet. I truly admire her professionalism. I would never fight without my shoes on, because the set was prone to hurt our feet."

Adaptation: The Banquet has been described as a loose adaptation of "Hamlet", featuring royal conflicts and revenge set in 10th century China. The new Emperor (Ge You) has usurped the throne by murdering the previous Emperor. He marries the Empress (Zhang Ziyi), wife of the previous Emperor and stepmother to the Crown Prince (Daniel Wu).

At first, the Empress seeks only to protect herself, but as the new Emperor grows suspicious of all those around him, she realizes that only by helping the Crown Prince kill him can she hope to survive. Together with the Chief Minister (Ma Jingwu) she tries to carry out this plot, but when the Prince is wracked by indecision she devises a new plan and seeks the throne for herself.

As the plot move towards its climax, the Emperor calls for a lavish royal banquet, where each will seek the end of their enemies.

During an interview, director Feng Xiaogang reviewed several differences between The Banquet and Hamlet. He said the storyline of The Banquet was similar to that of Hamlet but it would not show any visit from a spirit of the dead. Ziyi Zhang's character was once in love with the crown prince, played by Daniel Wu, and was forced to marry the emperor. When his brother (Ge You) murdered the emperor and took control of his thrown and his young empress, the crown prince begin to revenge.