The Assassin (2015)

The fights arrive in brief bursts; much more time belongs to watching, waiting and deciding whether to act. Hou Hsiao-hsien frames an assassin through moving curtains, distant foliage and carefully held interiors, letting political danger inhabit the scenery. This is a route through texture and composition rather than a generous supply of story information. Court relationships can be difficult to untangle, so its appeal depends on enjoying the spaces between the action as much as the action itself.