The Butterfly Lovers (2008 film)
| The Butterfly Lovers | |
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Official promotional poster
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| Directed by | Jingle Ma |
| Produced by | Catherine Hun |
| Written by | Chan Po-chun Jingle Ma Ng Ka-keung Yeung Sin-ling Wong Nga-man |
| Starring |
Wu Chun Charlene Choi Hu Ge |
| Music by | Chiu Tsang-hei Ronald Fu |
| Cinematography | Chan Chi-ying Jingle Ma Chan Kwok-hung |
| Edited by | Kwong Chi-leung |
| Distributed by | Mei Ah Entertainment |
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Release date
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Running time
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102 minutes |
| Country | Hong Kong |
| Language | Mandarin |
| Box office | $5,461,411 |
The Butterfly Lovers, also known as The Assassin's Blade or Jiandie (simplified Chinese: 剑蝶; traditional Chinese: 劍蝶; pinyin: Jiàndié; literally: "Sword Butterfly"), is a 2008 Hong Kong film directed by Jingle Ma and starring Wu Chun, Charlene Choi and Hu Ge. It is based on the Chinese legend of the Butterfly Lovers, but in a wuxia setting.
The movie begins with an explanation of the legend of the Butterfly Lovers. Zhu Yanzhi disguises herself as a man to go to Soul Ease Clan, which she must do to learn fighting skills which will help protect her family. While there she meets Bro Shan who protects her and calls her Little Bro, unaware that she is a woman. She has a love of butterflies and decorates Bro Shan's sword with two butterflies. At first Bro Shan is angry at Yanzhi for drawing butterflies on his sword but eventually accepts it. The pair develop a close friendship. Bro Shan eventually realizes that Yanzhi is a woman and makes a butterfly pin for her. Eventually, Bro Ma, Yanzhi's childhood friend comes to pick her up and take her back to her family. Yanzhi is pleased that she will be going home but says she will miss Bro Shan, who she is now in love with. Before she leaves, Bro Shan takes her to Butterfly Valley, a beautiful grassy green field where hundreds of butterflies fly.
Yanzhi is taken back to her family and is horrified when she realizes that her parents have set up an arranged marriage between her and Bro Ma. She refuses to follow through with the marriage. However, Bro Ma chains up Yanzhi in order to force her to marry him. When Bro Shan comes to visit, he promises that he will rescue her but Bro Ma is suspicious of him and creates a plan to prevent any interference. He imprisons Yanzhi's parents and tells Yanzhi that he will kill Bro Shan and her parents unless she marries him. Fearing for their lives, she promises that she will marry Ma.
When Shan comes to visit, Yanzhi tells him that she is no longer in love with him because their backgrounds are too different. She returns the butterfly pin and cuts off a lock of her hair to give to Shan (an ancient Chinese tradition, similar to returning an engagement ring). Shan, believing that Yanzhi no longer loves him, is heartbroken and leaves.
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