Review: The Myth (2005)

The Myth (2005) is a historical adventure-fantasy film. It is loosely based on the real general, Meng Yi, during the Qin dynasty (221 - 206 BC). It stars Jackie Chan, Tony Leung Ka-Fai, Kim Hee-sun, and Mallika Sherawat. Other settings include contemporary India and Hong Kong. The film title is also known as "San wa" in traditional Chinese (Mandarin).

Jackie Chan stars as Jack Lee, a famous archaeologist, who sets out on an amazing adventure to find clues about his past life. With his companion, William, they search for a rare material that can create a field of zero gravity in India. As he ventures further into his dream, he starts to connect the visions in his dreams. Their journey leads them back to China for the final clue to the puzzle.

In his past life, he is a Qin Dynasty general, Meng Yi, who falls in love with the king’s new concubine, Ok-Soo, whom he escorted and rescued when a raid thwarts their procession. The South Korean princess also falls in love with him and vows to stay by his side. When the emperor falls severely ill, he requests for the immortality elixir, which can save his life. When Meng Yi dies in battle, Ok-Soo and his companion, Nangong, are accused of treason and forced to drink the elixir. As a result, they are imprisoned in the emperor’s mausoleum for eternity.

In his journey, he discovers one of the greatest treasures in ancient China: the royal mausoleum of China’s first emperor, Shihuang, who was infatuated with immortality. Both Jack and William realize that the rare material is a fragment of a meteorite that fell on China during the Qin Dynasty. With the meteorite, the entire royal mausoleum is a floating sanctuary. Jack Lee also reunites with Ok-Soo, who has been waiting for him to return for nearly 2,000 years. However, their reunion is short-lived when Ok-Soo realizes Jack is not Meng Yi anymore and the world has changed since her time. After Jack escapes, the royal mausoleum collapses.

I loved this movie. The plot has a silly fantasy twist near the end, but I constantly wonder about the two lovers' fate. I quarreled with my friends whether Ok-Soo will finally reunite with Jack lee in a future life. The action was good, and I liked the scenes in India. I can tell Jackie Chan put a lot of serious effort into making the film. Unlike his prior comedic movies, this one has a more serious undertone. The theme song, "Endless Love," which is sung in Mandarin Chinese, is a beautiful classic. The duet capture the emotion of the ill-fated romance perfectly. Plus, Jackie Lee is a great singer!

Good news: If you want to watch more about historical legend, there is a new TV series based on the movie earring in China right now.

It is available to buy and rent on DVD.


Endless Love (Music Video)