The Puppetmaster
Master puppeteer Li Tien-lu recalls his life in Japanese-occupied Taiwan during the first half of the 20th century.
Critics Sentiment
Li navigates survival during World War Two occupation
Li's family relationships depicted in formal compositions
The film transforms from torturously slow opening scenes to rewarding puppet theater sequences that critics found extraordinary.
The Puppetmaster divides audiences with its rigidly formal approach, starting with widely criticized slow pacing in the first 45 minutes before building to acclaimed puppet sequences and historical drama. While some viewers find the static compositions and minimal dialogue insufferable, others discover an ethnographic masterpiece that becomes pure gold once you surrender to its unique rhythm. The film's polarizing style creates a clear divide between those who embrace its meditative formalism and those who find it oppressively dull.
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