The Banquet
Director: Feng Xiaogang
Genre: Wuxia, Action/Adventure, World cinema, Crime Fiction, Drama
Year: 2006
Country: China
Language: Standard Mandarin, Mandarin Chinese
Starring: Ge You, Daniel Wu, Zhang Ziyi, Zhou Xun, Huang Xiaoming, Zhonghe Zhou, Jingwu Ma, Xu Xiyan, Zeng Qiusheng
The Banquet, released on DVD in the United States as Legend of the Black Scorpion, is a 2006 Chinese wuxia drama film. The film was directed by Feng Xiaogang and stars Zhang Ziyi, Ge You, Daniel Wu and Zhou Xun. It is a loose adaption of William Shakespeare's tragedy Hamlet, and features themes of revenge and fate. It is set in the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period in 10th century China.
The prologue of the film is communicated by a narrator. It is explained that the Crown Prince, Wu Luan, was deeply in love with the noblewoman, known by the endearment of "Little Wan". However, his father, the Emperor, decided to marry Little Wan. Wu Luan, deeply hurt by this, has fled to the South of the state to reside with peaceful monks to study the arts of music and dance. Shortly after his departure, The Emperor was then murdered by his brother, who became Emperor Li and upon ascending the throne, re-crowned Wu Luan as Empress Wan, his wife. The film begins as Empress Wan sends messengers of the Imperial Guard to the monastery where Crown Prince Wu Luan is residing, warning him that the Emperor has died, and that his Uncle will succeed the throne. Unknown to her, the usurping Emperor Li
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