Shanghai Triad never gains momentum from a slow start and languid pacing until it eventually fizzles out.<br /><br />Gong Li looks superb and director Zhang Yimou's attention to detail and stylistic conceits never fail to impress. But the plot is overly simplistic and the characters never rise above a narrative bogged down with one dimensional characters and clichéd situations. You get the feeling Yimou was ready for something different in his career and Gong Li had played one too many parts under his direction.<br /><br />That said, it is entertaining without ever attaining the high standards of previous collaborations.