Rotten Tomatoes

Movies / TV

    Celebrity

      No Results Found

      View All
      Movies Tv shows Movie Trivia News Showtimes
      Watch trailer for Curse of the Golden Flower

      Curse of the Golden Flower

      2006, History/Drama, 1h 54m

      125 Reviews 50,000+ Ratings

      What to know

      Critics Consensus

      Melodrama, swordplay, and CG armies -- fans of martial arts epic will get what they bargain for, though the baroque art direction can be both mesmerizing and exhaustively excessive. Read critic reviews

      You might also like

      See More
      The Cooler poster image
      The Cooler
      In the Valley of Elah poster image
      In the Valley of Elah
      Frida poster image
      Frida
      The Crime of Father Amaro poster image
      The Crime of Father Amaro
      House of Sand and Fog poster image
      House of Sand and Fog

      Where to watch Curse of the Golden Flower

      Rent/buy Rent/buy Rent/buy

      Rent Curse of the Golden Flower on Vudu, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, or buy it on Vudu, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV.

      Rate And Review

      User image

      Verified

      • User image

        Super Reviewer

        Rate this movie

        Oof, that was Rotten.

        Meh, it passed the time.

        It’s good – I’d recommend it.

        Awesome!

        So Fresh: Absolute Must See!

        What did you think of the movie? (optional)



      • You're almost there! Just confirm how you got your ticket.

      • User image

        Super Reviewer

        Step 2 of 2

        How did you buy your ticket?

        Let's get your review verified.

        • Fandango

        • AMCTheatres.com or AMC AppNew

        • Cinemark Coming Soon

          We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.

        • Regal Coming Soon

          We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.

        • Theater box office or somewhere else

        You're almost there! Just confirm how you got your ticket.

      • User image

        Super Reviewer

        Rate this movie

        Oof, that was Rotten.

        Meh, it passed the time.

        It’s good – I’d recommend it.

        Awesome!

        So Fresh: Absolute Must See!

        What did you think of the movie? (optional)

      • How did you buy your ticket?

        • Fandango

        • AMCTheatres.com or AMC AppNew

        • Cinemark Coming Soon

          We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.

        • Regal Coming Soon

          We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.

        • Theater box office or somewhere else

      Curse of the Golden Flower  Photos

      "Curse of the Golden Flower photo 1" "Curse of the Golden Flower photo 2" "Curse of the Golden Flower photo 3" "Curse of the Golden Flower photo 4" "Curse of the Golden Flower photo 5" "Curse of the Golden Flower photo 6" "Curse of the Golden Flower photo 7" "Curse of the Golden Flower photo 8" "Curse of the Golden Flower photo 9" "Curse of the Golden Flower photo 10" "Curse of the Golden Flower photo 11" "Curse of the Golden Flower photo 12" "Curse of the Golden Flower photo 13" "Curse of the Golden Flower photo 14" "Curse of the Golden Flower photo 15" "Curse of the Golden Flower photo 16" "Curse of the Golden Flower photo 17" "Curse of the Golden Flower photo 18" "Curse of the Golden Flower photo 19" "Curse of the Golden Flower photo 20"

      Movie Info

      In 928 A.D. a power struggle emerges in the palace of China's emperor (Chow Yun-Fat). A cruel man, he is secretly having his wife (Gong Li) poisoned with a substance that will eventually drive her insane. Meanwhile the empress is having an affair with Prince Wan (Ye Liu), her husband's son from a previous marriage. But the prince secretly wishes to run away with Chan (Li Man), the daughter of the imperial doctor.

      • Rating: R (Violence)

      • Genre: History, Drama, Romance

      • Original Language: Chinese

      • Director: Yimou Zhang

      • Producer: William Kong, Weiping Zhang

      • Writer: Yimou Zhang, Wu Nan, Bian Zhihong

      • Release Date (Theaters):  limited

      • Release Date (Streaming):

      • Box Office (Gross USA): $6.6M

      • Runtime:

      • Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics

      • Production Co: Beijing New Picture Film Co., Film Partner International, Edko Films

      Cast & Crew

      Chow Yun-Fat
      Gong Li
      Jay Chou
      Ye Liu
      Chen Jin
      Ni Dahong
      Qin Junjie
      Wu Nan
      Xiaoding Zhao
      Long Cheng
      Shigeru Umebayashi
      Tingxiao Huo
      Zhao Bin
      Wei Xinhua
      Sun Hongwu
      Dong Chengguang
      Zong Minxuan
      Chung Man Yee

      News & Interviews for Curse of the Golden Flower

      Critic Reviews for Curse of the Golden Flower

      Audience Reviews for Curse of the Golden Flower

      • Jul 22, 2022
        Gorgeous to look at and I think the operatic plot works as it has the right balance of camp and legitimate emotional payoff.
        Super Reviewer
      • Mar 08, 2016
        Sumptuous sensory spectacle in every detail from Gong Li's hair ornaments to the gurgle of the medicine pouring into the gilded cup. The Oedipal plot, adapted from Thunderstorm, kept things twisted and interesting but battle scenes were redundant and I lost interest. The fingernail guards the Empress wore might have been anachronistic, as those were fashionable in the late Qing dynasty but this movie was set in the 10th century around the Tang dynasty.
        Super Reviewer
      • Jan 23, 2014
        Shakespeare would have been proud. The mix of incest, murder, betrayal and tyranny easily could have been part of one of his dramas. In this historical Chinese piece it's portrayed in the most visually pleasing style imaginable. The palaces, clothes, props are full of details and colors. The feast for the eyes never manages to make you care for anything that's going on, sadly. The dysfunctional family's story is way too complicated and unlikable for that. There isn't even all that much action until the showdown suddenly gets a lot more epic than expected. Only the assassin attacks are really awesome. Other than that: visually pleasing but ultimately unimportant.
        Super Reviewer
      • Dec 11, 2013
        "Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown." The Chinese epic Curse of the Golden Flower is a powerful and tragic tale. When the Emperor's wife discovers that she's being poisoned by her husband for her infidelity, she plots a coup to overthrow him; and caught in the middle are the Emperor's three sons, who each have their own ambitions. It's an intricate and well-crafted story full of intrigue and mystery. Starring Chow Yun-Fat and Gong Li the cast is quite strong, and Li gives an amazing performance. Additionally, the costumes and sets are incredible, full of vivid color and remarkable detail. And the fight choreography is extraordinary, with visually stunning battle sequences. A brilliant and engrossing film, Curse of the Golden Flower is a cinematic masterpiece.
        Super Reviewer

      Movie & TV guides

      View All