Zhang Yimou’s Shadow is a wash of grey; a veritable rainbow of ash and charcoal hues, occasionally punctuated by a splash of blood. This applies both to the visual aesthetic as well as the morality of the characters and narrative. At times, it watches like a black and white wuxia saga, Shakespearean in scope and scale. But while pretty and grand, and the idea of a historical epic from the director of Hero and House of Flying Daggers sounds like a great concept, Shadow falls flat and cold.
