SwordsmanRating:
Release Date: 24 October, 2000 Retail Price: $29.95 Sorry, this product is not currently available. Cast: Complete Cast (8 total) |
Swordsman Reviews
Disapointed...
I had very high expectations from this movie. First its the reason why I signed up to amazon, couldnt find Swordsman I anywhere after falling in love with Swordsman II. Plus Iv'read all the feedback in here and people are saying things like "action every 15 minutes" hmmm... maybe quantity is good, but quality is much better. Anyway, not enough swordsfight, and when one happens its too short.
Like another viewer says, this movie helps u understand SwordsmanII better, might be the only valuable reason to see it.. and i miss jet Li :(
Why all the negative opinions?
For some reason, this movie has always seemed to polarize opinion (when people could actually find a copy-- it's been notoriously hard to find until now). People either love it or hate it. After recently viewing the DVD, I'm leaning toward the former camp.
The plot revolves around various parties attempting to recover a scroll that contains a powerful martial arts technique. It's as simple as that, really, and the complexity of the plot stems from the fact that there isn't always a clear line between the good guys and the bad guys-- with the exception of the aptly-named "Laughing Swordsman," the central character of a series of novels upon which this film was based. And I always considered depth of character to be a GOOD thing in a movie.
All told, there really isn't a lot to distinguish this from a typical (typically solid, that is) Hong Kong actioner. However, the notable feature is that it involved no fewer than four directors. Getting top billing is the legendary King Hu, although the better-known Tsui Hark has made an obvious mark. While too many cooks usually spell disaster for a movie, this feels like a genuinely cooperative effort. Hu's eye for atmosphere, color and photography is apparent, while Hark keeps the action sequences looking dynamic and tense. It adds up, amazingly, to an admirable directorial job.
Another asset of the film is its willingness to be dark. Some of the most memorable Hong Kong films feature villains that are really worthy of the viewer's hatred (The Heroic Trio, for one), and there are some vicious scenes in this film. To me, that added to the overall effect.
No, it's not a slapdash story. No, it isn't the mess it could have been, and no, it isn't non-stop wirework and fake action. Swordsman might not earn itself a place as a genuine classic of Hong Kong cinema, but it's a strong effort that's well worth a look-- not only for its historical pairing of several famous directors (let's not forget Ching Siu Tung), but because it's genuinely entertaining.
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