Wu xia
Wu xia
Directed by:
Peter ChanCast:
Donnie Yen, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Jimmy Wang Yu, Wei Tang, Kara Hui, Wu Jiang, Zhang Wei, Ethan Juan, Xiaoran Li, Kang Yu, Zhusheng Yin, Kenji Tanigaki, Hua Yan (more)Plots(1)
Peter Chan directs this Hong Kong martial arts drama that sees an incredibly scrupulous detective on the trail of a former criminal who has attempted to start a new life. Set in 1917, the film finds Liu Jinxi (Donnie Yen) and his wife Ayu (Wei Tang) living quietly in a small village. Their sense of tranquillity is disrupted when a pair of robbers descend on the local store and Liu's intervention results in their death. Detective Xu Baijiu (Takeshi Kaneshiro), a man so faithfully attached to the law he values it above human life, arrives in the village to investigate and is immediately suspicious of Liu. How could an ordinary villager possess the skills to overcome two hardened criminals? The assiduous detective begins an investigation into Liu's past, threatening to uncover his identity as a retired martial arts expert and lead his many enemies to his door. (Metrodome Distribution)
(more)Reviews (1)
I had big prejudices about the film (I don't like Wu xia and the long running time and the historical subtext don't make a very appealing impression on me), but hats off, it's a real blast. The film features only four fights, but they are long, with perfect choreography, great camera work, breathtaking visuals and amazing details. I watched with an open mouth seeing how stylishly Peter Chan plays with the camera, giving you a truly spectacular and extraordinary experience thanks also to the brilliant Donnie Yen. Takeshi Kaneshiro was also great in the role of the smart detective, he takes your breath away with his cleverness and subtlety. The dialogue, plot progression and twists are unusually solid for an action film. I enjoyed it 90%.
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