The result was a film totally unique for mainland cinema.

"The movie is like a rollercoaster," Ning says.

But Ning believes audiences won't have trouble understanding the plot despite its complications.

"I never underestimate viewers' IQs," he says.

"Chinese audiences are as smart as those of any other country.

"Aren't mobile phones complicated?

"China is a developing country, but we don't use outdated mobile phones.

"Actually, we often use the most advanced ones in the world."

Ning instead finds the most difficult task in filmmaking is determining what the viewers will enjoy. But he always bears in mind that he's a Chinese film fan, too.

"When I see a movie, I don't watch it from a technical angle, such as where the camera is shooting from or how dark the lighting is," he says.

"What I care about is the opening half hour. If the first 30 minutes are enticing, I will continue watching - otherwise, I'll give up.

"The bottom line is, I will not make a film that doesn't pull audiences along."

The film is set for an intense rivalry with John Woo's star-studded epic Red Cliff (Chi Bi), which opened on Jan 7. But Ning says he's more concerned about audience feedback than box office returns.

"If I make a film that performs very well at the box office but audiences feel they have been duped, I wouldn't be happy at all. I'd feel better if it was the other way around," he says.

Ning says he doesn't care much about being likened to Guy Ritchie and Quentin Tarantino. "They use the same style - black comedy influenced by postmodernism," he says.

"But I hope someday I can make films like Steven Spielberg's, earning both acclaim among audiences and have box office success.

"I also think it's best for Chinese cinema, which suffers from a genre shortage, to have versions of Ritchie, Tarantino and Spielberg."

Ning believes it's exciting to try different genres, and plans to take on a bolder challenge in March by shooting a frontier film set in Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.

"When I went to Xinjiang, I thought it would be so similar to Texas if all the street signs were in English," he says.

"Frontier films are from America, but I think I can make the genre work in China, too."

The following project on Ning's agenda is a sci-fi flick - arguably, a very "Spielbergian" move for the Chinese director.

(China Daily January 8, 2009)