By RUSSELL BAILLIE
A period melodrama set in Peking of 1902, where Western showman Raymond Wallace (Harris) arrives with a film projector and sets up in business showing the first moving pictures the locals have ever seen. While the arrival of the flicks is
greeted enthusiastically by local photographer Liu Jinglun (Xia Ju), who becomes Wallace's local go-between, many mutter about a threat to Chinese traditions.
Unfortunately, that story of cultural conflict is strained through a formula which combines a love story, stilted, stagey scenes and many a dentally challenged peasant delivering dialogue of pure ethno-whimsy.
In the end it's a dull, inoffensive affair, a film seemingly made with the intention of second-guessing what Westerners would like to see in a Chinese movie.
Cast: Jared Harris, Xia Yu, Xing Yufei
Director: Ann Hu
Rating: PG (low-level offensive language)
Running time: 115 mins
Screening: Academy
Shadow Magic
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