FILM REVIEW: DRAGON BLADE

Huo An (Jackie Chan) and Lucius (John Cusack) in Dragon Blade.

Can we all just get along?

By John Esther

Gosh darn it. It is such a big production; it means so well; it stars Jackie Chan -- who is so cool; and it has two likable American actors: Adrien Brody and John Cusack. Yet Dragon Blade barely passes the entertainment muster.

Inspired by, yet hardly accurately based on, historical events, writer-director-production designer Daniel Lee's film sets itself in 50 B.C. along the Silk Road. A significant road for trade between the Occident and the Orient, the protection of the road is headed by Huo An (Chan). A passionate, reasonable, and preferably peaceful man, Huo and his troop protect the land through negotiation and equality -- only resorting to violence when all other means have been resisted by members of the 36 warring nations roaming and occupying the northwestern territory.

With so many belligerent people (primarily men) in the area, a peaceful dude like Huo is bound to be framed for a violent act committed by someone else. This setup leads him to the Wild Geese Gate.

A trading post in the middle of the desert, Wild Geese Gate is currently under construction. If the construction is not done on time, the slave labors, along with their masters, Captain (Xiao Yang) and Rat (Wang Taili), will be killed by the higher echelon.

As the construction completion deadline approaches, matters are complicated when Roman soldiers attack. Led by Lucius (Cusack), the Roman soldiers are in dire need of water. They are many. They are strong. Fortunately, Huo will teach their leader humility through martial arts superiority and generosity.

In return for the compassion the occupants of the trading post have shown the Romans, the Romans will teach the east how to build the post much sooner through the use of cement and newer construction techniques. This collaboration brings east and west together, furthering the film's message about the value, peace and, even self preservation, through multiculturalism. United (nations) we stand.

Naturally, this multiculturalism will be challenged by those who seek power at the expense of others. Divide and conquer.

Led by their ruthless leader, Tiberius (Brody), the Roman soldiers -- those who did not split and follow Lucius -- intend to take over the trading post and steal its treasure. While these Roman soldiers do not have the overall martial arts expertise of the current occupants of Wild Geese Gate, they are far greater in numbers.

A massive hit in China, and one of the most expensive films ever made there, Dragon Blade is indeed a grand production with thousands of soldiers fighting and dieing. The spectacle is quite impressive. People and horses seem to be forever charging ahead. Bodies upon bodies fall to the ground. Masses of men stain the desert with their demise.

On the smaller, more personal levels is where Dragon Blade suffers. Everyone speaks English (and their "native" language -- at least while singing), which was hardly the international language of the time. And the much of the dialogue does not necessarily serve the language well.

The acting is bit sub par for the likes of the main players, too, as if the weight of the spectacle makes any serious thespian effort futile in the grand scope of the film's things. Brody's accent seems to change over the course of the film. And I would mention the actor who plays Publius, but I am not sure his performance is his fault or Lee's. At any rate, I do not like to pick on children.

Having written that, Dragon Blade is still worth the experience. There is a lot going on here, and the glaring anti-xenophobic message of peace, cooperation and understanding is a potent antidote to the trumped up poisonous fears of our times.










 

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STAGE REVIEW: THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO

 A scene from The Marriage of Figaro.

Flesh class-ical

By Ed Rampell

The Overture to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s 1786 masterpiece, The Marriage of Figaro (Le Nozze di Figaro), is among the most popular in opera, while the glorious music overall is among the best in the entire operatic and classical canon. Wearing an open black shirt and his white hair flying, maestro James Conlon went all Lenny Bernstein exuberantlyconducting The Marriage of Figaro with flair, from first to final note.

It’s interesting to see The Marriage of Figaro this season with its cornucopia of Figaro-themed productions based on Pierre Augustin Beaumarchais’ original 18^thcentury plays, onstage at not only the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, but at A Noise Within’s theater. I had just seen the latter’s rather freewheeling version of Figaro, which is basically the same story as The Marriage of Figaro sans Mozart’s sublime score, so this made it easier for me to follow the action.

As the lascivious, devious Count Almaviva’s (bass-baritone Ryan McKinny) servants, Figaro (bass-baritone Roberto Tagliavini) and Susanna (soprano Pretty Yende), prepare for their nuptials the newlyweds-to-be must contend with aristocracy’s despicable droit du seigneur. This ancient feudal law allowed the lord to deflower proletarianbrides before they consummated their weddings with their commoner husbands. So the ever resourceful Figaro and Susanna must scheme to thwart their “master’s” marital rape of the bewitching bride-to-be.

At the same time, the aristocrat’s scorned, forlorn wife, Countess Almaviva (soprano Guanqun Yu), seeks to reign in her adulterous husband’s serial philandering and to be reunited with him. (As depicted in Rossini’s 1816 The Barber of Seville, which LA Op presented earlier this season, the fickle Count Almaviva had ardently pursued Rosina to make her his Countess, but years later, when Marriage takes place, he has become bored by his now-downcast wife.)

As the plot thickens the randy cross-dressing male Cherubino (mezzo-soprano Renee Rapier), his adolescent hormones raging out of control, lusts for Rosina, Susanna and Barbarina (portrayed at the premiere by soprano So Young Park and on April 9 & 12 by soprano Vanessa Becerra). Cherubino, who dresses up in women’s clothing, becomes a soldier who’d prefer by far to make love, not war. Further complicating matters, Marcellina (mezzo-soprano Lucy Schaufer) has her own designs on Figaro, and it is one of the opera’s biggest surprises when we find out why she really loves Figaro. Bass Kristinn Sigmundsson, who recently played Don Basilio (depicted here by tenor Robert Brubaker) in The Barber of Seville, portrays The Marriage of Figaro's Doctor Bartolo with the same comic panache he displayed in The Barber of Seville.

In other words, this opera is mostly about sex. Although the Count and lowly servant have a war of wits, pitting the patrician against the plebian, Mozart mostly plays this class struggle for laughs. There are also lots of war-between-the-sexes jokes and jibes.

However, as the issue of diversity and show biz has been much in the news of late, it’s worth noting that what’s called “non-traditional casting” actually enhances this production. The aptly named Pretty Yende is black, which adds another layer (no pun intended) to the cum-plexity of the plot, wherein the aristo seeks to assert his reprehensible droit du seigneur. The casting of an African woman as Susanna is redolent and reminiscent of those loathsome slave masters who coerced their female “chattel” to have sex with them at Southern plantations. While the casting of Yu as the Countess may be a reference to how some Westerners view Asian women as “trophy” wives and/or lovers (although Yu’s Rosina is no stereotypical lotus blossom).

The casting of these talented non-white women in roles portrayed since the 18^th century by mostly European performers demonstrates what “affirmative action” really is in action: opening up the doors so individuals possessing god-given gifts can use them to their fullest expression. And in doing so, enriching the overall theatergoing experience, while giving jobs to deserving artists and others. From each according to their abilities, to each according to their needs.

Yu’s rendition of the Countess’ arias “Porgi amor” (“Love, thou holy purest impulse”) and “Dovo sono” (“They are over”) are as lovely as anything a Westerner could warble, and we are all the better for it when inclusion, rather than exclusion, is the watchword of the day, on- and offstage.

This is also true for the transgender role playing. Rapier’s rendition of the (purportedly) male Cherubino’s aria “Voi che sapete” (“What is this feeling?”) about adolescent love is utterly beguiling and charming. Sigmundsson’s mock malevolent interpretation of the aria, “La vendetta, oh, la vendetta” (“Revenge, oh, sweet revenge”) is likewise excellent.

As I wrote circa 2010 when LA Opera last presented The Marriage of Figaro, Ian Judge again deftly directs the players, but scenery designer Tim Goodchild’s humdrum sets still only come alive in the gorgeous garden scene, with its full moon -- although I don’t quite understand how chandeliers could be suspended outdoors. (Unfortunately, we are beset by the same sets - apparently Goodchild didn’t read my review. Bad child!) And once again this production also unnecessarily inserts modern references, such as telephones and flashlights, into the 18^th century milieu, which only serve to distract from what is otherwise a period piece. These intrusions do not enhance the work but are only 20^th century distractions that really don’t belong here. But these are mere quibbles. The choreography by Sergio Trujillo and Chad Everett Allen, plus chorus directed by Grant Gershon, however, are all grand.

The production clocked in at three and a half hours-plus. For that period of time one is transported from Earth to Planet Mozart. Wolfgang’s vision of love reigning supreme is a sublime splendor, with music to match. A splendid time was had by all.


The Marriage of Figaro runs through April 12 at L.A. Opera at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 N. Grand Ave. For more info: 213-972-8001; www.laopera.com.

 

 

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