Plots(1)
The Banquet is a bloody epic about court intrigue in China's Five Dynasties period, loosely based on Shakespeare's 'Hamlet'. The setting is an ancient Chinese kingdom, where malice and treachery rule. The latest turmoil arises with the sudden death of the emperor. Suspicion falls on his ambitious brother Li (You Ge), who takes the throne as well as his brother's young, beautiful wife, Empress Wan (Ziyi Zhang). The only obstacle in his path is his brother's son, Prince Wuluan (Daniel Wu), a melancholy youngster who harbours a sexual longing for his stepmother and has consequently exiled himself to a colony in the wilderness. When the new emperor's ninja assassins reach the colony the prince barely escapes with his life. Returning to the palace, he is at once embroiled in schemes, counterschemes and suspect declarations of love. The film climaxes at a late night banquet where murder is the main dish on the menu. (Metrodome Distribution)
(more)Cast
Ziyi Zhang
China
Best movies:
The Road Home (1999)
Hero (2002)
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
You Ge
China
Best movies:
To Live (1994)
Farewell My Concubine (1993)
A World Without Thieves (2004)
Daniel Wu Yin-cho
USA
Best movies:
Protégé (2007)
New Police Story (2004)
Go Away Mr. Tumor (2015)
Xun Zhou
China
Best movies:
Cloud Atlas (2012)
Perhaps Love (2005)
Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress (2002)
Jingwu Ma
China
Best movies:
Raise the Red Lantern (1991)
The Eight Hundred (2020)
Underdog Knight (2008)
Xiaoming Huang
China
Best movies:
Ip Man 2 (2010)
The Last Tycoon (2012)
The Eight Hundred (2020)
Bo Peng
China
Best movies:
Death and Glory in Changde (2010)
Sacrifice (2010)
The Banquet (2006)
Lun Ma
China
Best movies:
Getting Home (2007)
The Banquet (2006)