1. Plot Summary

Set in 9th-century China, during the waning days of the Tang Dynasty, The Assassin follows Nie Yinniang (played by Shu Qi), a woman kidnapped at a young age by a nun named Jiaxin, who trains her to become a deadly assassin. Yinniang is tasked with killing corrupt officials; she moves in shadows, fulfills missions, but is complicated by her personal loyalties and feelings from her past. One such mission brings her face to face with Tian Ji’an (Chang Chen), a powerful governor. Tian Ji’an is more than just a target; he was once betrothed to Yinniang, and their shared history makes the mission emotionally fraught. Throughout the film, Yinniang struggles with duty vs. conscience, love vs. loyalty. The story unfolds slowly, with vivid visual detail, subtle character moments, and a focus on internal conflict more than action spectacle.
The Guardian
+3
Roger Ebert
+3
Rotten Tomatoes
+3

2. Notable Elements

Visuals & Cinematography: Mark Lee Ping Bing’s cinematography is exquisite. Long, composed shots, beautiful landscapes, the way light and shadow are used — many critic reviews describe the film as more akin to moving paintings.
spiritualityandpractice.com
+3
Roger Ebert
+3
Rotten Tomatoes
+3

Pacing & Style: The film is deliberately slow. It doesn’t constantly push forward with action. There are many quiet moments, pauses, lingering shots. Some viewers find this meditative; others find it opaque.
Roger Ebert
+1

Performances: Shu Qi as Nie Yinniang is mesmerizing — restrained, subtle, conveying internal turmoil without many words. Chang Chen as Tian Ji’an provides a worthy foil — a man of power, political complexity, with a past. The supporting cast similarly gives weight to their roles even when they appear infrequently.
Roger Ebert
+1

Scene highlights:

The early mission where Yinniang chooses not to kill a target because there’s a child present — establishing her moral conflict.
Roger Ebert

Confrontations with Tian Ji’an that are less about combat than about tension, recognition, memory and past ties.

The landscapes and nature-scenes: the film often pauses to show wind through grass or light playing on silk robes; moments when setting (mountains, forests, courtyards) become characters in themselves.

Sound & Dialogue: Sparse dialogue; many things implied rather than stated. The sound design emphasizes ambient sounds, nature, silence. These choices reinforce the introspective mood.
ResearchGate
+1

3. Themes and Messages

Duty vs. Personal Conscience: Yinniang’s struggle between what she must do (as trained assassin) and what she wants to do (mercy, loyalty to past relationships) forms the emotional core.

Identity and Autonomy: Raised to obey, trained to kill, yet she is haunted by memories of family, past engagements, and emotions. Her identity is torn between being “the assassin” and being a human being with attachments and empathy.

Power, Politics, and Corruption: The mission to kill Tian Ji’an is not only personal but political. The interplay between regional governors, the court, loyalty, betrayals touches on how personal relationships intersect with power structures.

Isolation and the Inner Life: Many scenes focus on her solitude, her reflection, the landscape, the spaces between people. The movie seems to ask: what cost does being a tool of power pay in human terms?

These themes are not directly tied to “holiday traditions or sentiments,” but the emotional tension—duty vs affection, the weight of promises, the cost of belonging—is universal and perhaps metaphorically resonant with times when people must choose between family / community expectations and personal integrity (which can be heightened during holidays).

4. Personal Impressions

Strengths:

The Assassin is visually stunning. I found myself lingering on shots long after they ended — there’s real craftsmanship in framing, color, light.

The acting, especially by Shu Qi, is powerful in its restraint. She doesn’t need grand speeches; her face, posture, the pacing around her conveys so much.

The mood is unique: contemplative, atmospheric. It’s more about feeling and reflection than straightforward action. That makes it memorable.

The film’s ability to balance its wuxia genre roots with something more philosophical and meditative is impressive.

Weaknesses:

For some, the pacing may feel too slow and plot-light. If you want a lot of action, thrills, or clear, fast narrative arcs, this might frustrate.

Some of the political / historical context is very subtle; you may not always know why certain alignments matter, or understand all’s backstory. That can leave gaps.

The emotional stakes sometimes feel muted because so much is internal; the audience is often more observing than directly engaged.

5. Audience Recommendations

You may enjoy this film if you:

Appreciate arthouse cinema, slower pacing, films that value mood, atmosphere, and visual storytelling.

Like wuxia / martial arts but prefer elegance over spectacle — fights minimal but meaningful.

Don’t mind movies that leave interpretive gaps; if you like to be shown rather than told, and think about characters’ internal lives.

Enjoy rich historical or period settings, costume, landscape as part of the narrative texture.

It might be less appealing to:

Viewers expecting a lot of nonstop action, big fight choreography or straightforward plot.

Those who prefer clearly spelled-out motivations and plot beats rather than ambiguity.

6. Conclusion & Rating

Overall, The Assassin is a beautiful, haunting film. It stands out for its visual poetry, its emotional subtlety, and its refusal to conform to genre expectations. It may demand patience from the viewer, but rewards that patience with moments of genuine beauty and moral resonance.

Final Recommendation: It’s a film worth watching for anyone who values cinema as art, who doesn’t need every piece spelled out, and who is moved by internal conflict and atmosphere.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4 out of 5 stars) — excellent, but not perfect for every taste.

7. Trailer on YouTube