The Promise
Warner Independent Pictures (WIP) | Release Date: December 30, 2005 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
53
METASCORE
Mixed or average reviews based on 26 Critic Reviews
Positive:
10
Mixed:
13
Negative:
3
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
100
The A.V. ClubTasha Robinson
For Kaige, The Promise can't exactly be called a return to form--it's more a return to "Hero" and "House Of Flying Daggers" director Zhang Yimou's form. Either way, it's still glorious. Read full review
90
Los Angeles TimesKevin Thomas
Chen's masterful, deeply perceptive direction of his superb cast is equaled by the film's luminous cinematography, rich yet spare and stylized production and costume design, and rousing score. Read full review
80
New York Magazine (Vulture)David Edelstein
I found The Promise pretty hard to resist. A heady blend of swordplay, somersaults, fairy-tale romance, and computer-generated whoosh. Read full review
75
Philadelphia InquirerSteven Rea
Whether or not the story makes any sense, The Promise promises to transport - and does. Read full review
75
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)Rick Groen
In keeping with that home-team tradition, The Promise lives up to the title --it really delivers the eye-popping goods. Read full review
70
L.A. WeeklyF. X. Feeney
Some critics are badly selling the film short, when the story it tells, measured strictly in terms of emotional power and overall fun, is as moving and pleasurable as any matinee item by Ford, Hawks or Raoul Walsh. Read full review
70
Chicago ReaderJonathan Rosenbaum
Chen Kaige clearly intended this Chinese fantasy-action spectacle to top Zhang Yimou's "Hero," and I must admit that I prefer it to the earlier movie: the digital effects are sometimes excessive, yet Chen's story of a loyal slave, his master, and a wealthy, seemingly doomed princess is more affecting, especially in the closing stretch. Read full review
67
Seattle Post-IntelligencerSean Axmaker
Like many of Chen's movies, which are so precise and composed and lush, it's not really emotionally engaging. It is, however, a dazzling and dynamic spectacle that risks being ridiculous to create an unreal world of the romantic imagination. Read full review
63
Chicago TribuneMichael Phillips
I'm not sure the director should return to this particular genre, whatever you'd call it. But he is, in fact, a real director. Read full review
63
TV Guide MagazineEthan Alter
The mixture of action, drama and romance isn’t as potent, and Kaige’s reliance on subpar special effects hurts the movie. Wu xia fans will still find things to like, but the uninitiated will probably find this slow going. Read full review
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