Zhang Ziyi takes her first turn as a cartoonist scorned in her latest film "Sophie' s Revenge." As the film hit the cinema in China and South Korea last Friday, viewers will see a different Zhang Ziyi in her first comedy.

"Sophie's Revenge" in Korean [Mtime.com]

Zhang Ziyi plays the title role of Sophie, a comic artist who is a combination of the character Ugly Betty and Sassy Girl. Sophie is about to walk down the marriage aisle, but discovers her sweetheart has betrayed their love. That's why Sophie goes about her "Revenge" with a plot to get her fiancé back after losing him to an actress.

Actress Zhang Ziyi said, "It' s my first attempt to lead a comedy. The viewers will see a fresh new me. I'm glad to see that we can also make such a good comedy."

In "Sophie's Revenge," Zhang Ziyi plays a role that bears a resemblance to the film' s novice writer-director Jin Yimeng. Both are in their late 20s or early 30s. Both live in a modern, urban metropolis. Both have dreams and wild imagination.

Zhang Ziyi said, "I think our film is beautiful. That' s why the Chinese name of the film is Very Perfect. I think beauty is the key word. From the costumes to the sets, when you watch the film, it' s like looking at a fashion magazine."

Director Jin Yimeng said, "I believe that even when you watch our film ten years later, you' ll still say it' s a fashionable film, because we haven' t strongly put many marks of today' s trends into it."

It's Zhang Ziyi's first appearance in such an avant-garde film. There is a big breakthrough in Zhang' s costumes after playing a Japanese escort in Memoirs of a Geisha, an empress in The Banquet, a friend of Peking Opera legend Mei Lanfang in Forever Enthralled, and the earlier ones including House of Flying Daggers and Hero. Compared to those big productions and epic stories, "Sophie's Revenge" has a much more ordinary and simple plot while the costumes are more variable and fashionable. Zhang even wears more than ten nightgowns. Another breakthrough is the make-up and hair style of the four leading actresses: Zhang Ziyi, Fan Bingbing, Ruby Lin from Taiwan, and Yao Chen who turns to interpret fashion and exaggeration.

As a co-production with South Korean sound and effect studios, "Sophie' s Revenge" has a humor and romance element that has never been seen in Zhang' s previous films.

Zhang Ziyi said, "When I stayed at my home in the film, I didn' t want to leave. I sincerely hope that I can own such a house. I play a cartoonist who has a child' s heart. All the colors and displays in my house match well to express the role' s personality. "

With such bright a color pallet and bold fashion design, Zhang Ziyi and her film have created another trend of style in China.

(CRI August 18, 2009)