To rate this movie as groundbreaking is not an overstatement (despite the fact that I really don't like this movie). This, along with "Once Upon A Time In China", was to be the pioneer of the 90s wuxia/wire/flying extravagenzas that followed. And what's even more admirable: to think that King Hu, who had the height of his career in the late 60s, actually is responsible for this movie--or all the martial arts films of the 90s, since this one started it all--is just beyond impressive. Only King Hu could have come out with yet another pioneer 20+ years after "Dragon Inn" and "A Touch of Zen", which are two of the biggest classic films in the martial arts genre. He is truly one of martial arts' biggest influences. And although I don't like King Hu, his movies, and especially this movie, I have to give credit to him and this movie in particular. Groundbreaking they are. Plot I have not read Jing Yong's original novel, Smiling Proud Wanderer, to the story, nor have I watched any of the TV adaptions (which have much more room for length details), but I imagine most people would be familiar with the plot by now, so I will not go into details. The eunuch finds out that the Sacred Volume has been hidden under his posession, and everyone is after it. Ling Hu Chong and his sister from the Hua Shan Sect, following their master's order, delivers a letter to a veteran fighter who soon gets killed by the Eunuch's man. Jacky Cheung plays a serviceman for the Eunuch. Eventually, the Sun Moon Sect gets into the story, and the leader (Cheung Man) falls for Ling Hu Chong. Ling's master is in fact an evil-hearted person who betrays the sect for the Sacred Volumes. But in the end, it is Jacky Cheung's character who obtains it. After defeating his evil master, Ling jumps on the horse with his ladies, retiring from the martial world. Thoughts
--- The story is about a bunch of people of different backgrounds all striving for the Sacred Volume. Jacky Cheung is outstanding as the villain. It seems that he is in nearly every Hong Kong classic since the mid 80s! Samuel Hui's performance is exhaustingly ungood, and without Dong Fang Bu Bai, the plot just isn't very interesting. Much inferior to "Swordsman II" with Brigitte Lin and Jet Li, where experiment leveled into maximum fierceness. Skip part 1 and go right to "Swordsman II". [6/10] |