I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

I love the Asian films and the epic sagas and so when I got ahold of this I watched it right away. I am disappointed in some aspects like story telling. For me instead of focusing on his entire life with much of it wandering they should of focused more on his dealings within LU. Much like IP MAN focused not on the entire story but on the war and IP MANs role during that time. THis film is beautiful to watch and some of the characters are fun but over all an un-inspiring tale of one of the most influential scholars of all time. The problem is the script, not the directing, performances or the photography. So if you plan on seeing this film be prepared to watch a rather long film with great photography, wonderful performances but fails in its lack of storytelling.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't it true that there's NO evidence that Confucius the man ever existed? His Analects were collected and/or compiled a hundred years after his 'death'... so here we have people frothing over a mythical character...a character as real as the characters in Avatar... I believe the movie hasn't been doing well, even in Asia. Not many cinemas are showing it. Chow's acting is good but the film is just too draggy and preachy. It's one of the problems with commercial Chinese films - acting over the top, humour is crude, verging on slapstick...they should stick to doing what they do best - martial arts action movies.

Confucius, the story of the greatest educator of all time, is a beautifully shot, poetically told, spectacular historical epic biography that stands shoulder to shoulder with great movies such as The Ten Commandments or Ghandi. It is not Braveheart or Patton, since it is not filled with thrills and spills, but you don't watch The Last Emporor of Kundun for the action: you watch them for the splendor and the drama, and splendid drama Confucius certainly delivers. Chow Yun Fat achieves a command performance as the gentle commoner who uses his wit and wisdom to quickly rise up in political ranks only to be exiled for his outsider ideology. Chow Yun Fat has come a long way since his two fisted gunslinging John Woo days, and his decision to sacrifice another opportunity that would have made him part of a more popular project, in order to participate in this rich cinematic experience, demonstrates his high integrity and his love for his heritage. Like Spartacus or Ben Hur, this movie is colorful, gorgeous, engaging and huge. The costumes are as awe inspiring as those of Cleopatra, and the only thing it is missing is a thick font "Technicolor" at the end, because this film is so reminiscent of the great days of biopic film making. Yet some of the music and camera-work reminds of the history of low budget Chinese films as well, which adds to the nostalgia of Confucius and makes it a more fun to watch. Confucius is grand. If you love epic dramas, you won't want to miss it.

The most controversial and dramatic thing about this movie happened off-screen in mid-January. Many Internet users and related groups called for a boycott of the film when it was reported that China had ordered 2D versions of "Avatar" to be pulled out so that more people would watch "Confucius". However, due to low attendance for "Confucius", and the high demand for "Avatar", the Chinese government reversed their decision and allowed "Avatar" to remain on some 2-D screens in China. The movie was to mark the 60th anniversary of the People's Republic of China and Confucius' 2,560th birthday.Yes, this is after Mao Zedong's Red Guards condemned the ancient scholar and destroyed his family cemetery and temple in his hometown of Qufu. Ironically, one of Confucius sayings is that "an oppressive government is more to be feared than a tiger".The first half of the movie traces the rise and popularity of Confucius (played by Chow Yun Fat) in the state of Lu during the Spring and Autumn Period where he is known for his fair and just ideas about running the affairs of the state. He is promoted from town mayor to minister. However, his ideas and practices break with tradition and anger the ruling families. An example is when he saves a burial slave from being entombed alive. He incurs the wrath of the rulers of the surrounding kingdoms by tricking them into giving back seized territory without any violence.The second half, circa 497 BC, shows Confucius and his disciples in exile, wandering about for years and getting chased away by the locals.As you can see from the paragraphs above, the first half of this two-hour film is more eventful and interesting than the second. There is a gripping war sequence about the storming of a fort that recalls the action in "Red Cliff." And that's about it for the action fans.Chow rises to the occasion as the calm and collected Kong Qiu, the revered teacher whose philosophy and views helped to revolutionize some states in China. When political jealousy and fears about his influence send him into exile, the scenes get repetitious and languid. This is punctuated with a subplot about Nan Zi (Zhou Xun), consort to the Wei king who respects the wisdom of Confucius. However, her magnetic appearances are brief and almost cameo-like, leaving most of the second half as prolonged and protracted scenes of Kon Qiu's wanderings and sufferings.Technically, this US$23-million production looks rich and even stunning at times. Cinematographer Peter Pau (of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" fame) captures the period and locations in all their glory and helps to put us in the right mood and atmosphere of the times."Confucius" is not a lost cause. It just looks long-drawn messy, like too many cooks having a hand at the broth. - LIM CHANG MOH (limchangmoh.blogspot.com)