Cliff Walkers * * *

 This is a beautifully made film.  It's glorious to look at. I just wish I knew what the dickens was going on. I don't think it's the fault of director, Zhang Yimou, I think it was just lost in translation.  It's all in Chinese so someone like me just had to read the subtitles, which were much more complicated than the menu at my local Chinese take-away, I can tell you!

Whad'ya mean, we all look the same?!

Set in WWII, it's about four soviet trained Chinese agents who are parachuted back into China to kill another agent who has become an informer to the occupying Japanese army.  The four are made up of two remarkably handsome men and two extraordinarily beautiful women.  They are made to look even more glamorous by their ever-present heavy overcoats, hats and scarves.  

The trouble is the enemy look the same as the agents. So half the time I couldn't figure out who was who and who's side anyone was on. 

Its snowing all the time, and an awful lot of it is at night.  They are often in shadows with collars turned up and hats pulled down low. I'm sure if you are Chinese the characters might look more distinct, but to me they were all starting to look the same.  I guess to the Chinese some westerners might look the same too. (Though I can't imagine anyone would ever mistake me for Ryan Gosling.)

There is a summary as we get toward the end and they replay snippets from some scenes and you realize who was conning who. That certainly helped,  but I cant say it clarified everything. 

However, this film has a quality and a luminosity that you don't see too often.  It shimmers.  It's stunning to look at. It might be worth going to see twice to try and figure it out.