News 
Disappointed
I am a huge fan of Cao Dun's work. The Longest Day in Chang'an and Litchi Road are, in my opinion, masterpieces of Chinese television. They are of incredibly high artistic calibre—not just in terms of writing and direction, but also cinematography, acting, music, and production design. They are in a totally different league from commercially popular dramas starring "idol" actors.
Hence, when I heard he had directed the movie Heroes of Dunhuang, I sought it out immediately. However, within the first 20 minutes, I felt deeply disappointed. It wasn’t because the story or acting was bad, but rather that I noticed significant visual elements heavily reminiscent of Denis Villeneuve's Dune (Part 1). Why did such an amazingly talented and visionary Chinese director need to mirror the artistic direction of another filmmaker? I felt so disheartened that I could not continue watching.
That said, I am not going to discourage others from watching this movie. Its story (loosely based on history), cast, production and cinematography are still of excellent quality. My issue is strictly with the artistic direction, which is a personal preference.
If you have not yet experienced Cao Dun's work, I strongly recommend starting with the drama series The Longest Day in Chang'an—a true masterpiece of high art built for the small screen. Despite my disappointment here, I remain a fan of Cao Dun and look forward to his future masterpieces on both the small and big screens
Hence, when I heard he had directed the movie Heroes of Dunhuang, I sought it out immediately. However, within the first 20 minutes, I felt deeply disappointed. It wasn’t because the story or acting was bad, but rather that I noticed significant visual elements heavily reminiscent of Denis Villeneuve's Dune (Part 1). Why did such an amazingly talented and visionary Chinese director need to mirror the artistic direction of another filmmaker? I felt so disheartened that I could not continue watching.
That said, I am not going to discourage others from watching this movie. Its story (loosely based on history), cast, production and cinematography are still of excellent quality. My issue is strictly with the artistic direction, which is a personal preference.
If you have not yet experienced Cao Dun's work, I strongly recommend starting with the drama series The Longest Day in Chang'an—a true masterpiece of high art built for the small screen. Despite my disappointment here, I remain a fan of Cao Dun and look forward to his future masterpieces on both the small and big screens
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