Famed actress Zhang Ziyi was red with anger at the national premiere of her new movie "Purple Butterfly" on Saturday in Shanghai.

Zhang, the film's leading actress, clashed with reporters and nearly lost her temper after the premiere when a local journalist complained that the end of the film was confusing and left the audience laughing out loud, despite the fact it isn't a comedy.

"That part was made with full sincerity and seriousness," said the 24-year-old actress. "I discussed with director Lou Ye for a long time before shooting and we took it very seriously. We respect our work. We hope all media can respect it like we do."

With a big-name cast including Zhang, Liu Ye and Toru Nakamura from Japan, the film showcases the distinctive features of director Lou, such as love of long scenes using hand-held cameras, lots of tight facial close-ups, few lines and a reversed montage near the end.

"The film is completely made for myself," said Lou at the premiere. "Though I was the scriptwriter and the first viewer of the film, I can not predict if audiences will like it or not. But I just did my best."

Viewers seemed unimpressed.

"I don't like the film," said Chen Yiwen, 26, a reporter. "The director put too much attention into expressing his own emotion and releasing his own feelings. That's over-individualized. Some plots have no consistency and the shaky shooting makes the audience quite dizzy."

Wu Hehu, marketing director of Shanghai United Cinema Line, distributor of the film, commented the film had "a popular theme, but an unpopular tailor."

The film, which cost 15 million yuan (US$1.8 million) to produce, tells of a tragic love story in the early 1930s. Ding Hui (Zhang Ziyi) witnesses her brother murdered by Japanese extremists and joins the resistance group Purple Butterfly. They aim to assassinate the head of a Japanese secret agency in Shanghai.

Zhang's screen debut in "The Road Home" by renowned director Zhang Yimou in 1998 paved the way to her current status. Ang Lee's "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" in 1999 brought her global fame and popularity. Then her appearance in Jackie Chan's "Rush Hour II" helped boost her box-office pull in China.

(eastday.com July 21, 2003)