THE LAST SUPPER is available today

Cinedigm

and

Random Media

presents

 The Last Supper / Wang de Shengyan

Directed by Lu Chuan

China, 2012, 116 minutes

Mandarin with English 

The Last Supper is a Chinese historical drama from Lu Chuan, the director of City of Life and Death (2009). It becomes available today, Tuesday, September 14th, on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD. This review is based on watching the Blu-ray version.

The film is an historical drama concerned with the founding of the Han Dynasty. It begins in 195 B.C. when Emperor Liu Bang (mainland actor Liu Ye), who founded the dynasty, is 61 years old and rather mentally enfeebled. In a flashback set fourteen years earlier, when Liu was forty-eight, we learn that he and Xin (Taiwan born Chen Chang), who would become a leading general, were just "street rats." At that time, Liu first saw Lord Yu (Daniel Wu), who was then twenty-four and leading the rebellion against the  Ziying, the Qin Emperor. Yu was of noble birth, but "blind to the ambitions of others." The film depicts the rivalries, shifting alliances and betrayals among these three characters.

A sub-theme concerns the jealousy of Liu's wife (actress Qin Lan, the director's wife) toward his concubines, particularly Qi, and their offspring.

Many of the scenes take place in Liu's dark, heavily draped quarters. There he recalls events from the past and is plagued with nightmares.

The film appears to have been made on a rather modest budget. There are references to armies numbering in the hundreds of thousands; however we usually see perhaps a few dozen soldiers at most. There is just one CGI scene depicting a large force, but the computer figures in the background are largely stationary. There is only one actual battle scene and it's rather limited in terms of the number of combatants involved.

There are no extras on the Blu-ray or DVD. The only option is watching the movie with English subtitles on or off.

The Last Supper, which was shown at the 2013 New York Asian Film Festival, may be short on action, but it is replete with intrigue.

AsianCineFest Rating: 2.5 out of 4 stars. Give it 3 stars if you're after the drama, and the lack of action (and extras) doesn't concern you.

Chinese historical drama THE LAST SUPPER will arrive on October 14th

Random Media and Cinedigm

Present

The Last Supper / Wang de Shengyan

Directed by Lu Chuan

China, 2012, 116 minutes

Language: Mandarin w/ English subtitles

International, Epic Adventure Of War, Dreams and Betrayals

Arrives On Blu-ray, DVD And Digital HD October 14

 “Compelling in its detailed intrigues and magnificent frescoes” - Variety

The heroic Chinese-language historical drama, The Last Supper, will arrive on Blu-ray ($19.93), DVD ($14.93) and Digital HD on Tuesday, October 14 from Random Media and Cinedigm. Featuring lavish action sets and extravagant style, the visually stunning retelling of the Han dynasty is directed by internationally acclaimed filmmaker Lu Chuan (City of Life and Death) and features China’s two-time Asian Film Awards nominee Ye Liu (City of Life and Death), Daniel Wu (Protégé, The Banquet, Legend of the Black Scorpion) and Chen Chang (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon).

The Last Supper follows Liu Bang (Ye), the first emperor of China’s Han Dynasty, as he recounts his life on his deathbed through restless memories and flashbacks. Haunted by nightmares of his biggest enemies, Lord Yu (Wu) and General Xin (Chen), Bang recalls his betrayal of both men due to his overwhelming thirst for power as an uncultured and uneducated soldier, which led to paranoia and fear once he became ruler. Even years after the deaths of Yu and Xin, Bang’s soul is still deeply troubled as he is unable to find peace in the position he dreamed of and fought ruthlessly to achieve.

Synopsis: Witness a young peasant’s meteoric rise to power in this action-packed martial arts saga from renowned director Lu Chuan. During the tumultuous last days of the Qin dynasty, the Commander of the era’s most powerful army recognizes great potential in an inexperienced laborer named Liu. When he gives Liu command of thousands of officers, he unwittingly sets in motion a chain of events that will put his own life in peril and determine the fate of a nation. Praised by audiences and critics alike, The Last Supper chronicles the brutality of war and the devastation of betrayal.

I'm expecting a screener, so look for a review here at AsianCineFest on or just before the October 14 release date.