The film is structured into five acts which introduce the most important characters and lay the groundwork for the final part in which the reluctant assassin Jing Ke plots to kill the king. The fact the story is so intricate might be difficult to follow for someone who's not used to Chinese history, but the script flows well and the characters are developed so effectively that such apparent shortcomings don't really matter at the end (though being used to wuxia novels and the colossal, ultra-fragmented storytelling of books like Romance of The Three Kingdoms I may have a different point of view and appreciate certain subtleties better). Chen could have decided to focus on a history lesson, but he's instead more interested in three central characters and their motives: he's able to create a psychological profile for Ying Zheng, who at first seems to be able to control his power, but thanks to his dark secrets he's defeated by his own instincts. A basic idea like reconciling people from all over the region, to bring peace and prosperity to his kin clashes with the danger of holding too much power in one's hands. He can't handle the situation and the consequences are terrible (and guess who pays the price? The same people he was trying to 'help').

Jing Ke (Chen regular Zhang Fengyi, in another very good performance) is portrayed in a different way as well. The man from the Wei kingdom is presented like a professional killer who decides to stop because of something he experiences and that will change his vision of life forever, whereas in the Shih Chi he was a common man who helped people and was well liked. His relationship with Lady Zhao in the film helps her realize how the king's promises are just a hoax to hide his thirst for power, and that will shape the final part of the film and make Lady Zhao's character the face of humanity. She's a woman who can control herself except under tragic circumstances, and Gong Li's performance really help underline those traits. You could say Ying Zheng's maniacal change of mind represents the political dogma blinding China's leaders into trying to find the quickest solution even at the expense of the people and Lady Zhao is people's hopes and fears. She's the one who could change things but sadly it's not up to her to shape history. The film centers around the three main characters and decides to only hint or show a glimpse of those battles, for it's the issue that matters, and in showing the aftermath and not the battle Chen drives home his message in a better way. We don't need to be shocked by the act, but reflect on the consequences and try to not make the same mistakes.

For a film which boasts thousands of extras, incredible sets, awe-inspiring landscapes and battles in large scale, the fact that it's character development and superior storytelling which triumph is what makes the film stand out. Everything looks real down to the tiniest detail, and the cinematography and art direction just amplify that. Simply put, this is one of the most beautifully shot films of all time, its battles rival Ran and Kagemusha in scope and realism even if that's not the focus of the film, and the soundtrack by Zhao Jiping (who is often associated with fifth generation directors and their films) carries the film without feeling too intrusive. The superior acting (even by Chen himself as Lu Buwei) including supporting characters make The Emperor and The Assassin one of the most engrossing, captivating epic dramas of recent memory.

With Zhang Yimou being closer and closer to commercial filmmaking (although with remarkable results, see The Road Home as an example that his creativity and cinematic prowess are not lost), Tian Zhuangzhuang still recovering from The Blue Kite incident and not having produced anything of note for a while along with other Fifth Generation directors lagging behind the inventive approach of the new sixth generation (people like Wang Xiaoshuai, Jia Zhangke, Huo Jianqi, Zhang Yang, Zhang Yuan and others), Chen seems to be one of the few directors of that generation who still tries to make compelling films that also challenge the system, even with such subtlety like he uses here. Not only the film is a good history lesson, but a warning to not make the same mistakes the old rulers did in the past and a way to condemn China's current policies towards re-unification.

Side Note: The Mei Ah flipper (sic) DVD doesn't subtitle the final credits, which note that Ying Zheng's corpse is still preserved in a tomb at Xian, and that he united the seven kingdoms to become China's first emperor, but also that he died a year later (220 BC) and that the Qin empire came to an end less than 10 years after.