Cubussoli Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

Portia Hilton Blistering performances.

Darin One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.

Caryl It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties. It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

justin chen first things first, seediq bale came out in USA today. I'm not sure what version i watched... but it was a 2.5 hour movie without any mention of a second part. anyways throughout the movie, it kept me entertained. It kept me thinking and trying to figure out the back story, who the new characters were and etc. There were bits of the movie that was so ridiculous, it seemed almost comical... though it's not supposed to be but the theater laughed anyways. The movie is presented in the Seediq native tongue and so, translations/subtitles were necessary which kept me from fully enjoying the beauty of the shots of landscape and action / etc. It tells the whole incident and explains everything that happens perfectly. the introduction is sufficient, the building to the climax is smooth, but what i think killed it was the hour or so fighting scene... it made it seem too long and by the end of the movie, i felt as if the whole movie was basically fighting... though that IS what it's based upon, it felt... a bit too much. not that its a bad thing or anything, but all in all, i think it was a great movie... for anyone 14 or above.

colinwen Just finished the trailer, plan to watch the duo this weekend. I totally understand as a non-Taiwanese or non-Japenese, you wont have the feeling which the director might want to deliver.I believe this kind of movie are everywhere around the world now. Director/writer and movie itself try to tell a story to a huge variety of audience, but what audience can feel only themselves can choose.I have watch a lot of movie based on European history, Australian history, American history or World War I and II. I was kind of confused in the end of these movie, until I check the information from wiki or other website.What I want to say here is its sad if this movie can not inspire you, but this kind of epic style of Taiwanese movie is a huge milestone for every Taiwanese movier.

exjor I walked out of the cinema with both surprise and worry. I'm worried because maybe this is not a very good film, especially not a good "commercial film" to make both ends meet, but I'm really glad to see that Te-Sheng Wei can still insist on his idea even in such a big production.Before going to the theater, my first concern was whether it would become a stereotypical nationalism or humanism film, because The Wushe Incident had been represented so many times in our history class in Taiwan that it seemed to be too difficult to make this film without compromising on political correctness, but Te-Sheng Wei made it！Sàidékè balái presented a mass of killing and death, not in a humanism or Han Chinese Nationalism way, but from the aspect of the Seediq. I have heard people arguing if it is necessary to have so much violence in this film, but I have to say that the value of peace or anti-war is the main stream nowadays but not so to the traditional Seediq that time. Therefore, I think the director is not a moral relativist, he just chose not to judge the past with today's value, and resisted the mainstream that drowned the voice of the minority.It impressed me that there was little Chinese or Taiwanese through out this film. Instead, the film is composed of Seediq language and Japanese. We should cherish it that 80 years after the The Wushe Incident, we can finally see a film which represents historical event not based on the authority opinion but on people who didn't lead the history, i.e. the native.

asia_extreme One of Taiwan's biggest ever films today, probably the most expensive ever made and looks set to be the highest earning to date. The story of Seediq Bale, based on the Wushe Incident is split into two segments, the first being entitled The Sun Flag (tai-yang qi) and the second, The Rainbow Bridge (cai-hong qiao). Seediq Bale is the best looking Taiwanese production to date, it seems on par with the majority of action films coming straight out of Hollywood. The battle scenes are impressive, they're fast paced with a lot of of excitement and thrills, there's explosions, blood splatters and much like you'd expect from headhunters, there's a few heads rolling.Story: The story moves quickly despite the movie being close to 2 and a half hours long. There is a small bit of background and lead up to the Japanese arriving but not a great deal. When the Japanese arrive it also doesn't seem that much happens in the story, it doesn't give you complex characters or anything you must grasp or understand. It's a simple story but flows well and entertains.Characters: Character building and general development is a problem in this movie, although it is entertaining with no boredom from start to finish it doesn't have much depth to it. You must take the characters on face value as you don't really get a sense of who they are. There is one character who can be classed as the lead but you even don't get to know who he is. Throughout the movie you're introduced to numerous characters, both on the aboriginal side and the Japanese side, yet you don't get to know more than the basics of who they are.Directing: Te-Sheng Wei has previous had a bit hit in Taiwan with Cape No.7 which guaranteed him the funding for this movie. But still his style is not flawless, at times he comes across as still being an amateur with some very strange shots and some even more bizarre cuts. More than one scene had him building up, suspense and emotion was all there and then he suddenly cuts to something completely different. It kills the feeling but also provides a kind of shock.Also its probably worth having a little background on headhunting traditions before watching this film, without understanding about their culture at times you might just find yourself rooting for the Japanese side.Overall: I thoroughly enjoyed this movie, sure it could've been better but at the same time it could've been a lot worse. It's receiving a lot of praise in Taiwan with this movie smashing records and the follow up looking set to break even more. One things for sure, I'll be booking my tickets for the second instalment.