Reviews (59)

Elegant and Powerful Communist Propaganda
This movie is a visual feast. The Chinese government spared no expense in creating it; all-star director Yimou Zhang apparently had everything at his disposal: a super star (Jet Li), an excellent supporting cast, unlimited costume expenses, and the full array of Hollywood digital imagery. More than just action and elegant Chinese cultural imagery, this film is a bold statement to the world: China is once again its cultural center.

Unfortunately, money does not always buy happiness. Despite the beautiful imagery, the story is brazenly unoriginal, taking its principle technique from Kurasawa's 1950 breakout film Rashomon, and much of its wuxia energy from Ang Lee's Taiwanese sensation of 2000, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. To the simple-minded, I think it fails as an action picture, and to the sophisticated, its moral push is far from certainly digestible. Neither do any of the actors succeed in endearing themselves to us. Its greatest strength is its beautiful imagery.

I recently watched Alexander Nevsky, the famous Soviet propaganda film. Viewed today, its intent is obvious and clumsily applied. I watched Ying Xiong, or "Hero", well into the second hour before I realized that I was watching a modern version of that same old communist template. What are the messages here?
A) Look Out: China is bigger than life and is ready to take its rightful place as the center of the world.
B) All under Heaven: union is not bad, it is in fact noble and unselfish, supporting the common good (Cantonese Hong Kong and Mandarin Taiwan take note).
C) The National Government is working for the common good: "They call me a tyrant", the emperor says scornfully, as he laments the fact they ignore the burdens he must bear for their own good.
The film tries to appeal to the values of common decency in order to support these latter two points: killing is wrong, selfish grudges are wrong, excessive resentment is wrong, etc. It seems to accept and mildly promote individualism, although not allowing it to trump collectivism.

I admit that even as an American, I cannot quickly digest these complex moral questions and make an immediate assessment as to their worthiness. For a Chinese person, I assume this film has been even more powerful. The pride evoked from its bold nationalist statement may further push them towards accord. Hence its value as propaganda has probably been quite strong. I think that ultimately the value of this film as a classic will be decided by the prevalent answer to these moral questions, and my suspicion is that history will not look favorably on the direction in which it pushes viewers to think.

An intimate epic
"Hero" is a very ambitious film, attempting to combine quiet introspective philosophy with visually stunning action and pageantry. It is like an intimate epic. The scope is grand to say the least, with full armies on the march as well as intense and magical personal duels, all of which serves as decoration to the Buddhist philosophy being put forward.

It is very beautiful, and this is probably the first thing to be noticed. The various elements, actors, scenery and colors all combine to create a visual splendor. It is a very painterly movie, a feast for the eyes. Specifically, color is used to create moods and to differentiate the various storylines. If the visuals are painterly, then the Martial Arts are dancerly, along the same line as "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," to which inevitable comparisons must be drawn. The actors are equally beautiful as well, and "Hero, truly a feast for the eyes, could probably be enjoyed in this manner, without any dialog.

Storywise, it is a variation on the familiar "Rashomon" theme of "what is the truth?" The same story is told and re-told, each time moving closer to the purity of truth, and with truth comes enlightenment. This is an intimate tale, a quiet verbal duel between an Emperor, so fearsome and lonely than no human can approach within one hundred paces of him, and a nameless subject, who might just be a true hero. Between them, a story is told of epic engagements, artists and warriors, and what is actually worth fighting and dying for.

I won't spoil too much of the story, as part of "Hero's" strength and insight lies in discovery. That is not to say that it is full of surprises and twist endings, but rather that, like all Buddhist insight, the answer of the movies riddle lies as much in the viewer as in the actors.

rebuttal to JUSTAREADER & Other Naysayers
Western movie studios like to spoonfeed the story to the audience and have an ending that provides closure. Asian movies tend to be more ambigious & leave the conclusion more open-ended to allow the audience to walk away "thinking" about the consequences of the actions of the movie characters.

The wire kung fu is meant to be an expression of the inner turmoils that play within the character's heart and mind. Suspending your belief in reality would have to take place to accept the incredibly artistic fight scenes in this movie or just about every other action movie ever made like Spiderman or ID4. At least enjoy the beautiful camera work and use of colors in this movie instead of thinking about "too many pretentious but self-indulgent thought-to-be poetically beautified scenes".

The "peking opera styled slow talking dialogue" is used effectively in my opinion. JUSTAREADER may not be a fan of this type of dialog but everybody has their own opinion.

Zhang Yimou used the story of the Qin Emperor only as an outlet much like Passions of the Christ. Many will not agree with the portrayal of the Qin Emperor in Hero or the portrayal of Christ in Passions but it made its point.

I agree that the Qin Emperor is not as "benevolent" as Hero suggests but this is a fictional story meant to convey the conflicts of the characters - the sacrifices made for self and country and the eternal question "does the ends justify the means"?

Boring movies don't move the audience and just passes 2 hours of their lives. It's the reaction I get after attempting to watch Dreamcatcher, Road Trip, or Day After Tommorrow.

Great movies provoke a reaction from the audience. This is a great movie with great visuals and cinematography. It got a reaction out of the "love it" and "hate it" camp! It wasn't a simple "love it" or "hate it" review.

Some of the best movies and music are derivatives of others. Example: Led Zeppelin and Aerosmith just borrowed from the blues and garage rock; Hero borrows from Rashomon; the list can go on and on forever. So to call Hero an unoriginal movie is an oxymoron because every movie copies from earlier movies.

Not all westerners are "simple-minded". People who just want simple Kung Fu movie or action movie with no plot will be bored to death and will find the movie "too complicated for westerners." For those of us who want something more than movies like Garfield or Starsky & Hutch will more than likely enjoy Hero.

Must see
This is a truly beautiful film. I own the import version and this film delivers on all scores. Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung give outstanding performances as the two lovers Flying Snow and Broken Sword. Jet Li is fantastic as Nameless.
If you love Hong Kong cinema this is a must see

too poetically unfocused, too complicated for the westerners
this is a very dark but also very pretentiously directed and performed swordsmanship movie. the chinese philosophy would put off mucho western viewers, 'cause the values in the orient and what we got in the west are totally different, i.e., the ends justify the means, or the means justify the ends. to not to assassin a tyrant and allow him a great opportunity to conquer all the other small feudal warlords and unify the whole china, in a larger vision, might save more peoples' lives than letting all the warlords killing each other and their subjects year after year....so what's the choice of the way-too-deep philosophic assassin in the last second and to face a doomed consequence? the director has tried too hard to express his own montage philosophy, his own interpretation of what should be done and only by himself in such genre to surpass the crappy oscar winning crouching tiger had achieved only one thing: a somehow and somewhat boring staged show instead of an exciting movie, with too many slow motion scenes, too many wired suspension, too many pretentious but self-indulgent thought-to-be poetically beautified scenes, with a too narrow minded and one-sided chinese philosophy delivered in a peking opera styled slow talking dialogue to grandize the butchering tyrant of all time in ancient china who later became the only role model of the modern time chairman mao, conquered all the warlords and took the advantage of generalismo chiang kai-shek's enduring war against the invading japanese of the world war II, and later the pathetic and horrible cultrual revolution in china, the rude-awakening of the chinese holocaust.
this is somewhat a mediocre and even a quite lousy film made and should not be made by the legendary chang yi-mou. ... Read more

Description

Get set for more action, more vampires and more Wesley Snipes in this second monster-hit installment in the Blade franchise. ... Read more

Reviews (314)

Arguably the Best Action Movie of 2002
Wesley Snipes and Kris Kristofferson return to battle the undead in what will probably be the best action movie of 2002. With a whole slew of fight scenes, great costumes, great weapons, great scenes, and great soundtrack music, Blade II rocks.

Blade (Snipes) is enlisted by the Vampires to help destroy a genetic nightmare-being called the Reapers, which even have the Vampires themselves on the run. Assisting Blade is a re-juvinated Whistler (Kristofferson) and the Bloodpack, an elite group of Vampires trained to hunt Blade led by the lovely Leonor Varela and Ron Perlman. Blade is now the leader of the Bloodpack as they must try to defeat the Reapers.

Two hours later, you're going to have to catch your breath outside of the theater. Del Toro's direction is incredible, as you are right in the thick of the action. All the stops are pulled out for this sequel. However, the only drawback is the lack of a solid plot, but you pretty much forget about that after you get taken in my all the action sequences. The computer effects are equally dazzling, and adds to the gore of the film (which is definately a factor).

Everything is just right in "Blade II". The film is casted well, everything is shiny and glossy with a kick-butt attitude towards it. Camera shots and frame rate are queued with perfection, and the fight scenes during the film are what makes this production top-notch. A must see and a definate buy when released.

Claret has never looked better!!
If Guillermo del Toro set out to translate the language of comics to the silver screen, than he more than achieved his goal with the visually astounding Blade II. With the exception of the two returning characters of Whistler and Blade, this 'sequel' couldn't be more removed from the original if it tried. From atmosphere and colour coded lighting to whip crack pace and even more gore, Blade II is relentless in it's attempt to leave you gasping by the time the blood drenched credits roll. Foregoing any real semblance of plot (that would only slow things down after all), the film tends to feel like one long fight scene but it's all executed so impressively that the final impression left is one not unlike riding a rollercoaster. Not a bad thing and an even better thing if that's what the director set out to do. Guillermo himself is unapologetic in his honesty that he was simply intended to fashion a 'kick ...' movie that while different from Stephen Norrington's original, retains the similar style and wit that made the first so special. Acting wise, Blade is a role Wesley Snipes could probably play in his sleep so while he is predictably fantastic in bringing the character to believable life, all eyes settle on newcomer Luke Goss (he of Bros fame) and he doesn't dissapoint as the ruthless (and perhaps somewhat tragic) reaper Gerrad Nomak. From his appearance onscreen, Goss gives a captivating performance, somehow even investing a real humanity in a character that is more animalistic than human and that is testament to Goss' talents. Smartly avoiding overkill in the make up department, it's Goss' physical presence that is the most unsettling aspect of the villian. With two such formidable actors grounding the insanity that ensures in it's running run, the film is left to throw body parts up at the screen haphazardly. That it is crafted all so professionally allows you to simply be whisked away for the horrific ride. While not as acomplished as the first, Blade II remains startling good viewing. All action genres are pandered to, the horror fans get what they are after and when all is said and done, some might find themselves surprised how addictive the film continues to be, requesting if not demanding repeated viewings. A great horror and action film that deserves more of an accolade than simply 'sequel' and more a title in it's own right.

BEST MOVIE EVER
After the first installment in the Blade series, I was really looking forward to the sequel - and I wasn't dissapointed. This far surpasses Blade and just hightens the suspense for Blade: Trinity (out Dec 10). Wesley Snipes is his usual great self in a fast-paced, suspense action movie. Kris Kristofferson is brilliant as Whistler once again (as are the rest of the cast). If you liked the first then you will definetly like this - and hopefully like me you cant wait for Blade: Trinity !

Blade I Retains M. Wolfman Touch....
....Blade II does not.

What's the Marv Wolfman Touch you may ask. Wolfman and Gene Colan of course was the original Marvel comics team which created Blade from a subplot in their most popular horror comic Tomb of Dracula in the 1970s. Those dudes pretty much knew they were creating comic books stories and never, never took themselves 100% too seriously.

Blade II loses the light touch--as much as fables of vampirous goings on could indeed have a light touch--and goes for the jugular, pun intended. I found myself wishing for one of those campy, talky Vincent Price death scenes since most of the creatures here explode in a special effects blast into dust and immediately into oblivion type of thing when killed. The crew of offending vampires creepily open the flesh on their cheek, jaws and upper neck to--bite yer neck and suck yer blaad! Yeesh! And Snipes smiles sadistiaclly thru-out the entire thing. It was a chore to look at it 'cuz it is busy, so many of those vamp things disintergate and no one is having that much fun. I'll watch a video featuring Sesame Street's Count any day insteada this mess.

Pulse-Pounding!!!!
When the world is threatned by a new and deadlier breed of super vampire the legendary Blade and his mentor Whistler must join forces with the Bloodpack, an elite team of vampire warriors made up of his sworn enemies. In order to stop the carnage these ravenous fiends must be destroyed at all costs. In this high-voltage adventure, exploding with spectular effects and martial arts action. The electrifying Snipes reprises his role from the original cult classic Blade. I thought this was a hell of alot better than the original. I thought the sequel had a better plot, great acting, excellent fight scenes, and nonstop action. If you liked the original, you'll love the sequel. I loved the sequel, alot more than I liked the original. ENJOY!!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Director Zhang Yimou brings the sumptuous visual style of his previous films (Raise the Red Lantern, Shanghai Triad) to the high-kicking kung fu genre. A nameless warrior (Jet Li, Romeo Must Die, Once Upon a Time in China) arrives at an emperor's palace with three weapons, each belonging to a famous assassin who had sworn to kill the emperor. As the nameless man spins out his story--and the emperor presents his own interpretation of what might really have happened--each episode is drenched in red, blue, white or another dominant color. Hero combines sweeping cinematography and superb performances from the cream of the Hong Kong cinema (Maggie Cheung, Irma Vep, Comrades: Almost a Love Story; Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, In the Mood for Love, Hard Boiled; and Zhang Ziyi, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon). The result is stunning, a dazzling action movie with an emotional richness that deepens with every step. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (310)

Thrilling Hero
With "Hero" and "House of Flying Daggers" director Zhang Yimou has jettisoned to the forefront of filmmakers working today.There is no denying that Yimou has a distinctively strong visual style.That said, if it's all style and no substance, so what?"Hero" is blessed with a good narrative.Essentially, the theme of the film is what defines a hero.The answers that Yimou offers are both surprising and enlightening.Strong cast that includes Jet Li and Ziyi Zhang.Essential viewing.

Beautiful Film, but where was Jet Li?
Okay, Zhang Yimou is one of the all-time great film directors and i love his movies, though this one came across as a Disney cartoon done in real-life. My main complaint is that he didn't give Jet much to do. The part of the so-called Hero was a wooden, 2-dimensional character who wasn't on screen much. Instead, the story is really a visual tapestry of how China became united, without much dialog. Whatever. Great for kids, I guess.

Pure Visual Poetry: Story, Myth, Heart, Emotion, & Beauty
Okay, people...let's get a hold of ourselves.Many have knocked the martial arts sequences in HERO as being horribly unrealistic and that this fact has ruined the movie.Nothing could be further from the truth.True, the martial arts in this film are not the "realistic" acrobatics of Jackie Chan.Instead, it is pure visual poetry.These martial arts sequences are absolutely beautiful to watch.Anyone that can watch them without coming away with a sense of awe is just plain blind in my book.

In fact, that goes for the entire movie.HERO is one of the most gorgeous films I have seen in a long time.Not only are the sequences superb, but the scenic locations are also breathtaking.Moreover, the extensive use of color is astounding.While watching it, I felt completely transported into a different world and found myself lost in the film's sheer beauty.Furthermore, the mythical story is extremely complex, interweaving several themes & variations of the central plot.The audience gradually discovers the truth of this film and it continued to surprise me throughout its length.

I am not sure why so many people did not like this film.I can only guess that they were expecting a pure-action film with Jet Li taking on a country, "Rambo" style.I, for one, am happy that we were treated to something more.HERO has plot, heart, emotion, and style.And let us not forget the outstanding action it does provide: the action sequences in this film are some of the best ever captured on film.Highly recommended.

Not sure what multiple narratives is for
Basically, I think the graphic, plot, and theme all work fine and those who enjoy plays should be able to enjoy this movie as well (at least, I do). A major part of the movie, i think, is devoted to delineating and discovering of perspectives (narratives, you might say) related to the proper fate of China proper. In the end, a supposedly supported perspectives is revealed and the death of some characters might represent the painful but necessary abdication/self-annihilation for a better future. Even if there can be a better future, it necessarily involves an excruciating self-negating process. Something passionate, tender, free or even righteous must be given up. I'm not sure if every character and plot fits into this major theme very well because some do seem a little bit distracting, but still entertaining (nothing really needs to make sense as long as you like it).
Some might think the implied theme of reunification is a serious problem. I wouldn't totally agree with it for the reason the emperor wants to unify China and three characters give up assasinating him is for the longer peace of China. "If you want peace, prepare for war." This is from Punisher, but it explains the logic well. However, I seriously doubt that the director made this movie to condemn Chinese nationalism, though I don't know if any trace of anti-cosmopolitanism is obvious in it.
Anyway, graphic is cool, plot acceptable, theme...a little bit cliche, and, because the theme cliche, the use of multiple narrative might seem childlish and rather less challenging. But for those who really have no idea about Chinese history during the end of Chou dynasty and the present situation between the strait, it might be interesting. That is why I gave it three stars. If I have know zero about China, I might give it four and a half.

I didn't see the point of the movie
This movie basically tells one story in a few different ways.A warrior and friends are attempting to kill the emperor.That is about it for plot.There are several martial arts scences in this movie, but most of them are just too unbelievable.In one scene, the main character single handedly stops hundreds of arrows without even getting hit once.This is impossible, and that is coming from someone who used to watch DragonBall Z.

There are also to many inane comparison of fighting to various things.Fighting is compared to music and to caligraphy, which both have nothing to do with fighting.The is even a long, drawn out story plot in the movie involving caligraphy, which I found really boring and did not really feel that it served a purpose in the movie.

The ending of this movie is also very disappointing.I'm not going to ruin it, but I will say that it made the movie seem rather pointless.I really don't know why the main character was considered a hero, and frankly think that the movie was too limited on plot and did not even have a good story to begin with. ... Read more

Reviews (131)

Yuen Woo Ping Knows How to Direct Great Martial Arts Films
The Iron Monkey is evidence why the martial arts choreography in The Matrix thrilled the American audience. Director Yuen Woo-Ping delivers an impressive punch with this 1993 film which features an easy-to-follow storyline, good acting, stylish cinematography, and amazing fight scenes. Highlighted in this film is actor Yu Rong-Guang whose acrobatic and hand-to-hand combat skills are at their best. The inclusion of the legendary character Wong Fei-Hung (depicted in this movie as a child) makes this movie appealing to the younger viewers as well. All in all, the Iron Monkey is a great film and, perhaps, deserves a big screen showing here in the U.S. Until that happens, whether you buy or rent this film, watching it would definitely be time well spent.

Iron Monkey Rocks!
Okay, I'm behind the times. I'm just now catching "Iron Monkey" and feel pretty much like a Johnny-Come-Lately. I never really cared much for martial arts films but was amazed by Ang Lee's "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon". I read a few things about "Iron Monkey" after it was released due to "Crouching Tiger's" success but never got around to seeing it or buying a copy of the dvd. Recently, however, I found the movie at a pre-owned cd/dvd store and purchased it. I'm glad I did because it ranks right up there with "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon". Yuen Woo-ping's chinese take on Robin Hood is done with great style, incredible fight choreography and filled with charming actors and actresses. Yu Rong-gang plays the Iron Monkey and Dr. Yang, a humble doctor that basically practices the same tactics as the Iron Monkey---helping the poor who are sick for free and charging the rich for his help. The rest of the cast is filled with interesting characters such as Dr. Yang's helper and romantic interest, Miss Orchid, and Wong Fei-hung, a young boy who's fighting skills are as remarkable as many adult men. The fight scenes in this film are a pleasure to the eye and well worth the purchase of the dvd alone. If you are a martial arts fan, you will NO DOUBT want this movie in your collection. If you are not a fan, I dare you not to enjoy it!

not cool
This is not a cool film. Watch a real kung fu movie; watch a Bruce Lee flick.

The best Martial Arts movie of the 90s
This movie just fell from the sky or something. Considering that it was produced in 1993, it is of amazing quality. The storyline is excellent and inspiring, and the cast is astonishing. Yu Rong Guang is not very known in the west, but he is indeed a true martial artist. In fact, he has Peking Opera training. Additionally, this is Donnie Yen's best performance to date. His character was so convincing that you really believed him to be Wong Key Ying.

fun to watch
The opening scene and setting of Iron Monkey is very similiar to Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. Where CTHD is more of an epic drama, IM is more of a comedy, but the martial arts choreography is just as spectacular. Their naming of certain moves is amusing. Enjoyable plot. As to suspending belief, I give you this quote from Albert Einstein: Imagination is more important than knowledge. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

A lot of good action but confusing as heck
This is a pretty fun movie, with lots and lots of crazy action, and some pretty well acted scenes, but it is unbelievably confusing, so you never totally get behind the characters. Michelle Yeoh looks great and does a decent job but she just seems too wholesome to pull off the role of the somewhat evil kung fu master. She is not as intense as Brigitte Lin who is really the master of that sort of character. Tony Leung, Donnie Yen, and Joey Wang are all really great in this movie. This is highly recommended for HK fans but not so much for casual kung fu fans who are better off with something like Swordman II. Be warned that there are mandarin only editions of this movie on the market, so make sure you are getting a cantonese version if that is what you want.

donnie yen and michelle yeoh are the only good things...
This film cannot be categorized as a martial arts film. Unlike the recent released Iron Monkey, Butterfly Sword's action scenes are so chaotic and confusing that you cannot really tell whether a person is fighting a deadly opponent or is simply twisting in the air for fun. With body parts flying everywhere, you wonder if you are watching a horror film. It is not a fantasy film either. There obviously is no ghost or gods, and supposedly people in this film don't really possess supernatural powers. Therefore, the action scenes can only be said to be insulting to either genre.

Despite a strong cast and beautiful scenery, the movie ultimately disappoints. One saving grace for this film is Donnie Yen. Though his great talents were wasted in his fight scenes due to over-use of wires, poor camera work and disastrous editing, he managed to compensate by putting more heart and warmth into his character, the ever serious but sincere Yip, who is the only likable character in the film. Too bad we have not seen Donnie Yen as often as we see Jet Li or Jackie Chan. A much better actor than Jet Li and extremely gifted in martial arts, he exuberates a certain charisma that simply draws people to him, either in a major role or a supporting role. Michelle Yeoh on the other hand is marvelous. She conveys emotions just as effectively as she does swirls and kicks. The scene where she glides through the air between two bamboo trees is one of few good action scenes in the movie, but it perhaps is one of the most graceful and elegant scenes I have seen in any martial art films.

Two stars for Michelle and Donnie.

Donnie Yen's best swordsplay
Donnie Yen is the only reason to get this film really. Michelle Yeoh's peformance is that of a bitter jealous "adopted" sister. The movie focuses a lot on romance and drama leaving little room for true action, although it is present.

Donnie plays a drunken loaner, who's hopelessly in love with Michelle Yeoh. Aside from that, there's Tony Leung and his goofy wife. The rest of the cast is pretty cooky. This is a typical early 90s film for those of you familiar with the genre.

Good fighting scenes. Love story with twists.
The fighing scenes are fast, furious and violent. For example, in one scene, a fighter pushed his sword and his whole body completely through the chest of his oppenent.
The love story has some twists. What looked like the love between a sister and her younger brother turned out to be more than that.

Excellent! Among the best of Yeoh!
Excellent in action, acting, direction, screenplay... I can't remember how many times I have watched it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Despite a typically haphazard plot, Highlander: Endgame is a marked improvement over previous sequels. This is the "torch-passing" chapter, in which the Immortal Connor MacLeod (Christopher Lambert) passes his life force to his heroic brother, Duncan (Adrian Paul, star of the 1993-96 Highlander TV series). These appealing stars make a fine onscreen duo, and Paul is a terrific choice to keep the franchise alive--strikingly handsome but possessing enough gravitas to make the prospect of future sequels unexpectedly promising. The movie is incoherent to the uninitiated, but established fans will be reasonably impressed by Endgame's cagey mix of romance, swordplay, and history-spanning action. While the movie's chaotic construction is regrettable, the frequent battles (including dazzling work by Honk Kong action star Donnie Yen) are adequately impressive, and Douglas Milsome--cinematographer of Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket--ensures that every scene is strikingly photographed. All in all, Highlander: Endgame is surprisingly worthwhile. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (218)

As good as the 1st if not better
I had missed the chance to see the movie in the theatres so I spent half a year waiting for it to come out on DVD. As soon as it did, I went out and bought it. I had been watching the series for a while a few years ago up until cancellation, and now it plays re-runs on Sci-Fi Channel, and I try not to miss those. The series was always awesome and brought back the better feel of how and why the immortals were on Earth, not the alien BS that the second one brought about and the vague and pointless reasons a third movie was made...but End Game just basically brought Highlander back into "The Game" so to speak as far as a genre goes. You shouldn't have to watch the 2nd or 3rd movies to have to understand End Game, but the first movie is helpful...and some knowledge from the series as well. A must-have film for any sci-fi action fan and definitly for any Highlander fan. There can be only one...and this is it.

Highlander fans hate it, too; wonder what that says.
The Highlander series has always been catered to the fans, but even to them, this is as confusing as movies get. I'm hardly a follower of the series, but I have seen the movies (been a while since parts 2 and 3, memories of which don't serve me well at all) but I get the feeling watch those two wouldn't have made this any more comprehensible. As a matter of fact, doesn't each movie negate the one that came before it?

So what we have here is a tale of two immortals, Connor and Duncan MacLeod (Christopher Lambert and Adrian Paul), who apparently are out to stop an even more powerful and evil immortal (Bruce Payne) who holds a grudge against Connor. That's the basic premise, but getting into details would only be confusing, to me and whoever's reading this.

There are a LOT of subplots at work here, individual scenes that don't really seem to mesh with the main story, and if they do, they're never concluded satisfactorily. Example? How about when Connor is kept locked in a room with an iron mask covering his eyes; how exactly did he end up there and how did he even escape? What about those people who keep track of the immortal kills; who are they, how do they do it, and considering there are tons of rules these immortals have to follow in combat, how come these people never enforce the rules? For that matter, considering the evil Kell (the film's villain) isn't even following these rules, why shouldn't Connor and Duncan team up to take him down?

Those are only a few of the movie's numerous head-scratchers, suffice to say if this is the first and only Highlander movie you've seen, don't worry, I'm as every bit as confused as you are. The series never follows a singular mythology, which simply means if you watch the first film, each of the individual sequels plays as a follow-up to that film, and certainly not the one that came before it (i.e. part 2 sort of follows part 1, part 3 negates part 2 and follows part 1, part 4 negates part 3 and follows up to part 1).

But even that rule isn't completely sound. Even Highlander: The Quickening chose to negate much of what occurred in the first film, done in such blatant manners that you can't help but slap your forehead when you witness what a true mess this series became. If you've seen it, you know what I'm talking about; Connor and Ramirez are really from another planet called Zeist and they've known each other from then (which makes their "first" meeting in Scotland in the original film a headscratcher). I haven't even gotten to the fact that all these immortals are fighting to return to Zeist, even though they were banished there for being rebels (doesn't this mean they should all, I dunno, work together?) According to the Renegade version, immortals are from the past, which is still almost as mucked up.

But I digress, the point here is to review Endgame, and for what it is, it might please Highlander fans, if they prefer Paul to Lambert, as the former is the true star of the picture, and is highlighted in most of the action sequences. The action itself is relatively decent, the climactic swordfight could have been better filmed, but it's not like I was expecting a lot from the action in this movie in the first place.

When it comes to the series, I'm a casual open-minded viewer and what keeps me coming to each sequel is the hope that finally, someone will capitalize with the grand ideas at work. Instead, this quartet is mostly viewed as an embarrassment to sci-fi/fantasy/action filmmaking, an insult to lucid storytelling, and a spit in the face to those who enjoyed the first movie. I didn't absolutely hate Endgame, it's had enough watchable moments to keep my attention, but it's definitely a bad movie, and doesn't have the awe-inspiring kitsch value of The Quickening.

I have one more thing to complain about and that's the amount of effort put into marketing this picture. Obviously, Dimension films wanted to milk the series for all it was worth, but they actually gave us trailers that featured cool scenes that were never even meant to be in the film. Alternately, when we have a great sci-fi action film like Equilibrium left to die at the box office, I'm only further upset at what Dimension believes is or isn't worth marketing.
[one half out of five stars].

A perfect end to the Highlander saga
Now, I've read all the negative reviews and such, and I must say that if you are just looking for a good movie where you don't have to think much just enjoy or are looking forward to a good end to the Highlander Series, then this is a terrific movie. I am a fan of the first and third movies and the series, and as all Highlander fans know there are 3 seperate Highlander universes; Movie universe, Series universe, and Highlander 2 universe. The latter is total crap, but in the movie universe Connor MacLeod is the One, end of story. This latest installment takes place in the Series universe, of which Duncan is main man. Not only do the fight scenes kick a## but the story is interesting and the acting by Lambert and Paul is superb. They work so well together and really bring the relationship between the two MacLeods to life. Especially when the two Highlanders must come to there last resort against Jacob Kell. The movie universe ended years ago with Connor MacLeod winning the Prize. However, the series universe has continued and now is at its end, and it is a great ending for the series continuity. True, non-fans will be lost, but why would they wanna see it anyway? Forget all the stuff about it not being coherent or plot-less, bottom line is that its an entertaining movie and as perfect an ending to the series as I could think of. A great flick.

Worst Movie EVER
This movie is terrible. They completely ruin the character of Connor MacLeod. The villain is a total wimp who Connor or Duncan could've squashed like a bug. Nobody would be scared of that pencil neck!!! The story is choppy, the timeline is totally inconsistent, and the main characters act completely out of character. The makers of this film almost go out of they're way to be completely inconsistent with everything about this franchise. To be honest, the only thing they got right was the first movie. Part two was a joke, Final Dimension is above average, the TV series is very good but not plausible because CONNOR MACLEOD WON THE PRIZE AT THE END OF THE FIRST FILM!!!! Now there are thousands of immortals running around!
Really, this film is just like a long episode of the tv series only its not that good. This movie had so much potential but Davis and Panzer blew it. Once again the Highlander fans have not been taken serious. Once again the studios completely butchered what could've been a very good film.

Character Assassination
Reviewer: Lisa from Las Vegas, NV United States
I never watched the original movie or Highlander 2 or 3, but HELLO?!!! What were Christopher Lambert and Adrian Paul thinking in consenting to work on this movie? I'll take other reviewers' word on the butchering of Connor MacLeod's character, but I can attest to the butchering of Duncan's. Duncan MacLeod killing his wife? The boy raised to be clan chieftain, raised to protect those in his care, killed his wife? Duncan MacLeod married? Even though "Darkness" (season 2) specifically stated he never married and never would? Duncan asked Tessa (his lover of 13 years) to marry him in that same episode. Darn, if she hadn't died we could have added bigamist to his resume. How about "In the end there will be only one", yet Duncan and his immortal wife walk off at the end of the movie. So, is he going to kill her or allow her to kill him? I seem to remember other problems, but I have been trying to block this horrible movie from my memory and refuse to watch it ever again. I gave it one star because there wasn't any lesser option. ... Read more

Reviews (32)

All-star cast at thier best
This movie is my favorite kung-fu/swords movie that I own (an i do have many) Brigitte Lin is incredible in this film. She is the best HK actress of all time. This film showcases her beauty, acting, and swordsplay. She holds this movie high but not alone Tony Leung is wonderful as well as a cool, calm, and collected swordsman. Brigitte lin an Tony leung have a somewhat similar romance to Michelle Yeoh an Chow yun-fat in crouching tiger. The romance in this film though has more heart to it. Maggie Cheung is also very good in this film, as the Dragon Inn owner. Maggie, Brigitte, and Tony all play characters with a lot of depth. Donnie Yen is an OK bad guy but his talents as an actor or as a martial artist are not completely used. This film should be in every movie lovers collection it is simply a masterpiece on film.

The Infamous "Dragon Inn"
Brigitte Lin is in her usual spectacular role as a kung fu master along with Tony Leung Ka-Fai ("Island Of Fire"). Lin is truly a great actress with "Police Story", "The Bride With White Hair", "The Bride With White Hair 2", and "Swordsman 2" to name a few impressive titles. She really is quite a martial artist on screen. She's very graceful and has a strong presence as a leading role. The amazing Donnie Yen ("Iron Monkey") is also in this film, though he's only at the beginning and end of the movie, he made his scenes effective. The last fight scene with Yen agains Lin, Leung, and Maggie Cheung ("Supercop") in the desert is quite outstanding. So venture into the desert and rest your head in the dragon inn, but beware...you might not last the night.

Excellent, Brigitte Lin the star
When I first read the reviews online, I couldn't wait for the last fighting scene. But the last fighting scene was no where near as good as Brigitte Lin's fighting scene at or near the beginning.

She was fantastic, and made the movie a must see. This movie has a great story, solid ending, and lovable charcters. (Like the little guy who was the cook). Where do you learn to cook human meat? Especially in the middle of the desert.

I can't give it 5 stars, because its not as good as Musa in my opinion. Its as good as Once Upon a Time in China, maybe a little better.

But again, a must see movie, Brigitte Lin takes the show from the All Star cast. This is a movie I recommend buying (I did), as it makes a great movie in anyones collection.

Exellent Swords Play
This is one of the best Kung Fu movies I have ever seen. The fight scenes were amazing and memorable. If your a Donnie Yen fan you will have to wait till the end. But when Donnie Breaks out. He breaks Out. But there is plenty of Brigitte Lin and Maggie Chung. I am so in love with Brigitte Lin. I wish she would come out of retirement. It is truly a joy to see her work.

Great remake
This film borrows heavily from the 1971 classic A Touch of Zen. It starts off the children of an murdered official being led into the desert, only to be saved by Bridgitte Lin, and Tony Leung. After saving the children, they make their way to the Dragon Inn, a desolate place on the western Chinese border. While waiting to cross the border, they are pursued by a Eunuch general who traps them in the Inn.

Overall, this film is filled with excellent sword play, drama, and the inclusion of Maggie Cheung. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Wong Sheung Leung proved Wing Chun
If you don't recognize the man on the front cover, don't fret. He is Wong Sheung Leung, one of the best Wing Chun practitioners of the modern era. He along with a few others, proved Wing Chun on the rooftops of Hong Kong in the 1950s and 1960s. They are the reason that the Hong Kong police department adopted Wing Chun as its official fighting style up until recently (I heard they stopped using it because was to harsh).

This video shows you the basic moves of the first form (Siu Lam Tao), as well as some of the footwork from the second form (Chum Kiu). The one-inch punch is also included. I recommend this video over the videos of some of the others due to its authenticity.

Another plus: Wong Sheung Leung was Bruce Lee's main teacher. In fact, Bruce Lee used to stand in front of his house before class and lie to the other students, telling them that Wong was sick. This allowed Bruce to get private lessons. Upon learning of this, Wong gave Bruce a nice taste of Wing Chun in action.

May he rest in peace, and his legacy of excellence live on.

Great Fundmentals/Basics DVD
This DVD is a great introduction and fully covered the Sil Lum Tao form and basics of wing chun. I was fully able to learn the movements of Sil Lum Tao. I am just learning but I feel it demonstrated the art of wing chun in a simple and concise manner. This is a good reference tool in wing chun fundamentals for all beginning practitioners. It instructed well and piqued my interest. This DVD and Sil Lum Tao are both very utilitous and will be helpful in preparing one in finding and participating with a good wing chun instructor/club. In my opinion, if one wants to learn about Wing Chun, this DVD is an excellent resource. Well worth the purchase.
I had purchased two books that promised Sil Lum Tao. Wing Chun Kung Fu by Ip Chun had pictures for the entire form but it's difficult to learn from static pictures. I recommend this book as a good supplement to this DVD. The other book was not helpful except for the translation of Confucius' Art of Mean.

A review by a beginner in Wing Chun
Video quality is good considering the age of the original footage. English dubbing was OK, but I also expected the original Chinese to be available. Oh well ....

A pretty basic introduction to the main Wing Chun philosophy, centre line theory, gates, etc.

Good demonstration of the basic footwork and how to apply it. Brief run through of the first form: Sil Lim Tao and applications.

What I enjoyed the most was towards the end with the 2-man scenarios. Sifu Wong would demonstrate a technique taken from Sil Lim Tao which one of his students would counter, then the next scene would be his counter to the counter.

You won't be able to learn Wing Chun from this DVD, but it is a good overview of the Wing Chun philosophy and some very well filmed sequences. I'm sure I will dip into this periodically as my own Wing Chun training progresses.

Sifu Wong died in 1997 so there is no follow up video demonstrating the next form: Chum Kiu (Searching for the Bridge). A great shame.

One of the best Wing Chun information films made.
This is an excellent resource for students of Wing Chun. This, despite the fact that Master Wong intentionally demonstrated some things slightly wrong due to a distrust of the producer of the film. This doesn't take away from it's quality however. All of the Wing Chun principles are demonstrated and explained, and shot very well. It is a shame that the footage at the end supposedly for more advanced editions was only test footage.

But all minor niggles aside, not only is this one of the best presented Wing Chun instructional films out there - no displaying of Siu Lim Tao from all angles over and over, or specific techniques displayed without exaplanation as to how they apply to Wing Chun principles for example) - but it is also the only time the late Master Wong Shun Leung was captured on film in this way. So aside from being a great instructional film, it is worth the Wing Chun enthusiasts purchase if only to see all the film footage of Master Wong.

Oh, and the accompanying music's really groovy too! ;-)

Wong Shun Leung DVD
Video quality is above average. Felt like watching a good quality VCD. Audio is fair. This is a wing chun DVD with substance. Excellent demonstration by the Master and his students. Commentary was very good. It showed the basic principles and more importantly the application of those principles. Well structured content. Definitely a valuable resource for those training wing chun. Hope the advanced series will be out. ... Read more

Description

Superstar Donnie Yen (Hero) goes up against Mr. 666 himself in the action-packed supernatural kung fu masterpiece. ... Read more

Description

Get set for more action, more vampires and more Wesley Snipes in this second monster-hit installment in the Blade franchise. ... Read more

Reviews (314)

Arguably the Best Action Movie of 2002
Wesley Snipes and Kris Kristofferson return to battle the undead in what will probably be the best action movie of 2002. With a whole slew of fight scenes, great costumes, great weapons, great scenes, and great soundtrack music, Blade II rocks.

Blade (Snipes) is enlisted by the Vampires to help destroy a genetic nightmare-being called the Reapers, which even have the Vampires themselves on the run. Assisting Blade is a re-juvinated Whistler (Kristofferson) and the Bloodpack, an elite group of Vampires trained to hunt Blade led by the lovely Leonor Varela and Ron Perlman. Blade is now the leader of the Bloodpack as they must try to defeat the Reapers.

Two hours later, you're going to have to catch your breath outside of the theater. Del Toro's direction is incredible, as you are right in the thick of the action. All the stops are pulled out for this sequel. However, the only drawback is the lack of a solid plot, but you pretty much forget about that after you get taken in my all the action sequences. The computer effects are equally dazzling, and adds to the gore of the film (which is definately a factor).

Everything is just right in "Blade II". The film is casted well, everything is shiny and glossy with a kick-butt attitude towards it. Camera shots and frame rate are queued with perfection, and the fight scenes during the film are what makes this production top-notch. A must see and a definate buy when released.

Claret has never looked better!!
If Guillermo del Toro set out to translate the language of comics to the silver screen, than he more than achieved his goal with the visually astounding Blade II. With the exception of the two returning characters of Whistler and Blade, this 'sequel' couldn't be more removed from the original if it tried. From atmosphere and colour coded lighting to whip crack pace and even more gore, Blade II is relentless in it's attempt to leave you gasping by the time the blood drenched credits roll. Foregoing any real semblance of plot (that would only slow things down after all), the film tends to feel like one long fight scene but it's all executed so impressively that the final impression left is one not unlike riding a rollercoaster. Not a bad thing and an even better thing if that's what the director set out to do. Guillermo himself is unapologetic in his honesty that he was simply intended to fashion a 'kick ...' movie that while different from Stephen Norrington's original, retains the similar style and wit that made the first so special. Acting wise, Blade is a role Wesley Snipes could probably play in his sleep so while he is predictably fantastic in bringing the character to believable life, all eyes settle on newcomer Luke Goss (he of Bros fame) and he doesn't dissapoint as the ruthless (and perhaps somewhat tragic) reaper Gerrad Nomak. From his appearance onscreen, Goss gives a captivating performance, somehow even investing a real humanity in a character that is more animalistic than human and that is testament to Goss' talents. Smartly avoiding overkill in the make up department, it's Goss' physical presence that is the most unsettling aspect of the villian. With two such formidable actors grounding the insanity that ensures in it's running run, the film is left to throw body parts up at the screen haphazardly. That it is crafted all so professionally allows you to simply be whisked away for the horrific ride. While not as acomplished as the first, Blade II remains startling good viewing. All action genres are pandered to, the horror fans get what they are after and when all is said and done, some might find themselves surprised how addictive the film continues to be, requesting if not demanding repeated viewings. A great horror and action film that deserves more of an accolade than simply 'sequel' and more a title in it's own right.

BEST MOVIE EVER
After the first installment in the Blade series, I was really looking forward to the sequel - and I wasn't dissapointed. This far surpasses Blade and just hightens the suspense for Blade: Trinity (out Dec 10). Wesley Snipes is his usual great self in a fast-paced, suspense action movie. Kris Kristofferson is brilliant as Whistler once again (as are the rest of the cast). If you liked the first then you will definetly like this - and hopefully like me you cant wait for Blade: Trinity !

Blade I Retains M. Wolfman Touch....
....Blade II does not.

What's the Marv Wolfman Touch you may ask. Wolfman and Gene Colan of course was the original Marvel comics team which created Blade from a subplot in their most popular horror comic Tomb of Dracula in the 1970s. Those dudes pretty much knew they were creating comic books stories and never, never took themselves 100% too seriously.

Blade II loses the light touch--as much as fables of vampirous goings on could indeed have a light touch--and goes for the jugular, pun intended. I found myself wishing for one of those campy, talky Vincent Price death scenes since most of the creatures here explode in a special effects blast into dust and immediately into oblivion type of thing when killed. The crew of offending vampires creepily open the flesh on their cheek, jaws and upper neck to--bite yer neck and suck yer blaad! Yeesh! And Snipes smiles sadistiaclly thru-out the entire thing. It was a chore to look at it 'cuz it is busy, so many of those vamp things disintergate and no one is having that much fun. I'll watch a video featuring Sesame Street's Count any day insteada this mess.

Pulse-Pounding!!!!
When the world is threatned by a new and deadlier breed of super vampire the legendary Blade and his mentor Whistler must join forces with the Bloodpack, an elite team of vampire warriors made up of his sworn enemies. In order to stop the carnage these ravenous fiends must be destroyed at all costs. In this high-voltage adventure, exploding with spectular effects and martial arts action. The electrifying Snipes reprises his role from the original cult classic Blade. I thought this was a hell of alot better than the original. I thought the sequel had a better plot, great acting, excellent fight scenes, and nonstop action. If you liked the original, you'll love the sequel. I loved the sequel, alot more than I liked the original. ENJOY!!!! ... Read more

Reviews (89)

Better than the First
Shanghi Noon set the stage for this funny and entertaining movie. This is one fo those movies you can kick back, relax and no matter who you are have a good time.

Shanghi Knights takes place a few years after the events of Shanghi Noon. Chon Wang (Jackie Chan) is living a succesful life as sherrif of a small town. Roy O'Bannon (Owen Wilson) is living a seemingly succesful life with a series of action packed novels and investments. When Chon Wangs father is murdered he vows vengeance. SO with Roy O'Bannon they travel to England to find the killer and CHon sister.

The reason this movie works is because both characters are now way out of their enviroment. WIth references to famouse British figures such as Jack the Ripper, Sir Arthor Conan Doyle, and Charlie Chaplain as well as inventions such as the Automobile and the Moving Picture this movie is funny and succesful without gooing into over kill. A must see.

Chan's Best American Movie - Wildly Entertaining Trash
The Shanghai Noon series has been Jackie Chan's best US work so far. Sure it's another formulaic sidekick story (but at least it's Owen Wilson and not the nauseatingly annoying Chris Tucker), and anyone who has seen Chan's earlier movies has seen most of these stunts before. But nuts to that. This is a wildly entertaining piece of pure trash, taking great liberties with historical fact in pursuit of action set-pieces and a laugh (which is fine by me).

Chan and Wilson have great on screen chemistry. Aidan Gillen is a wonderfully one-dimensional villain, and the entire supporting cast do their job admirably.

Grab some popcorn and leave your brain and expectations at the door and you'll have a ball.

Not as good or funny as Shanghai Noon...
This movie was o.k. but I didn't care for it as much as I did Shanghai Noon. In Shanghai Noon I couldn't stop laughing but I didn't find that I laughed but a time or two in Shanghai Knights. The bloopers at the end gave me many more laughs then the actual movie did. I thought the vase scene was way to fake & didn't make a whole lot of sense. I don't plan on watching it again. To be honest, I just saw the movie yesterday & can't remember most of it. It's just not a movie that's going to stick with you. I'd say skip this movie.

Jackie 10, Shanghai Knights 1
"Shanghai Noon" was one of the funniest and most spontanious films I have seen in months...... so I had no fear when I ponied up 26 bucks for this sequel, and I could not believe how weak it was. Okay... Chan is just fine, the fighting sequences are classic Chan and inventive, and of course he is charming and humorous. The cinematography is well crafted...... AND yes, there are some very major historic and continuity problems with this film....

First of all if you have any passion for historic recreations in film, you are going to be seriously disturbed by the amount of blunders here.. they are too numerous to mention, and on several websites are on-going discussions of what they were and why they were overlooked. Never mind, the first film had historic mistakes as well.. and one can argue that this IS comedy...... but if you KNOW history, they are going to be distracting and you will miss the action, comedy and excitement of the film.

However, my main complaint is the musical "jokes" that pepper the film. We are in Victorian London, England and we hear huge chunks of loud musical clips from pop songs of the 1950s and 60s, like the old Roger Miller tune "England Swings", "Singing in the Rain" (no it is not raining and Jackie is not singing when they play it), "Magic Bus" (no, there is no bus in the scene) and "Winchester Cathedral" which plays loudly in a scene filmed at... get this... "Buckingham Palace"!! There are more, very loud musical "jokes" that totally detract and ruin the mood of the setting, comic moments and the action at hand. The main orchestral score itself is actually well composed and performed, but the added outlandish musical jokes are totally inappropriate and go on far too long to be funny.... and in fact... without them, the movie, in my opinion, would have been a lot more fun and enjoyable.

As far as Owen's performance... it was clearly NOT up to the fine job he did in the first film. In "Noon" he was funny, loveable, playful and genuine. In this film he seems distracted, over-directed and less expressive. He also does not look like he is having fun with his character.... it's a walk through for him.

My suggestion is to get the first film... its a treasure. Far fetched, yes, but it has charm, comedy, continuity, drama, and loads of action. This new film is a series of jokes and parodies (musical and otherwise) that simply don't hold together or keep a person involved in the continuity... and even the great Jackie Chan can't keep it together alone.

Boring
This sequel to Shanghai Noon is perhaps one of Jackie Chan's worst movies. The story is a cliche--Jackie has to rescue his sister and avenge his father's death. The twist in this story is that he has to go to England to find the killer. Of couse we have to put up with a lot of bad jokes about English food and stereotypical English gentlemen. I particularly hated the performance of Owen Wilson. I simply can't understand why he keeps getting cast as a comedian. He's definitely not funny at all. To make it worse, the character he plays has no redeeming qualities whatsoever. Even Jackie Can is not at his best in this one. The fight scenes aren't as fluid as some of his other recent performances. His age really shows in his fight scenes. If you're craving a recent Jackie Chan film, you should stick with the Rush Hour series. I give this two stars instead of one out of goodwill for Jackie Chan. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Great stuff
Donnie Yen is truly the martial arts actor of the next millenium. This Movie has amazing new-style choreography of fight scenes, these are really impressive. Some of the best fight i've ever seen( better than any jackie chan's and most of jet li's).

Donnie Yen should be commended for this gem...
This movie has been criticized excessively by many for being too different from the usual martial arts genre. Indeed, if you enjoyed Iron Monkey and are looking for something similar in a Donnie Yen film, such as people precisely executing each martial arts technique, pausing deliberately after several exchanges of punches and kicks, and sometimes even yelling out the name for a particular move, Legend of the Wolf may not be the movie for you.

Not all the criticisms are justified. Unlike Yen's previous masterpiece which showcases his finest skills as a martial artist, Legend of theWolf exhibits a remarkable combination of raw energy and artistic elegance, and this movie is nothing short of spectacular. Like Yen's subsequent effort, Ballistic Kiss, Legend of the Wolf has excellent cinematography, wonderful camera work, good music in addition to its kinetic if somewhat disorienting actions, which suit the film's dark mood perfectly. Look beyond the norm of martial arts genre, you may find this film interesting to watch, and may even find yourself wowed by its power and beauty.

great hand fight
The over all fight scenes are not bad in this movie. For the most part in the movie the camera is so closed that it spoils the fights. If you watch the fight scens with some extra attention - the hand fights are very fast and beuatiful. The filming and the way the story is presented is not that good. It has lots of annoying flash backs which get you nowhere in the story. I wish they made a second part for this movie where Donnie Yen is old yet a strong and expeirenced martial artist.

Sad Review for a Martial Arts Hero
Also known as The New Big Boss (after Bruce's film), this is one review I am sad to write because Donnie is one of my favorite martial artists...this movie is just plain bad, and I understand this was one of Donnie's early start in directing, but that doesn't save it from being bad...story?...Man with amnesia goes back to a temple that is familiar in his dreams and searches for a woman that he sees in his dreams as well hoping to get some answers to his identity...the village nearby is constantly being terrorized by bandits and Donnie, miraculously remembering one thing-his fighting abilities, helps fight them off...the movie is mostly about rememberance, bloody fights, and a reblossoming love...now the bad part, the fighting caught on camera is horrendously awful and a big waste on Donnie's part...the camera is way to close to the fighters and all you see are hand movements with less body movements...it seems everything is sped up as well for that ultra fast fighting appeal...it just makes it worse...you can't see the fighting in its true form because the camera is too damn close, and there were a lot of good moves by Donnie that were put to waste cuz you couldn't really see them...other than this, the fighting is extremely unrealistic...I mean there were several occasions were Donnie took out literally 100 men by himself and this just made me think "O please"...what kept me watching was the love story tho and I would've given this film at least a rating of 2, but the whole end scene, just a little before the last battle sequence of this film just destroyed that possibility...if you ever watch this, just keep that in mind...This is by far one of Donnie's worst movies, and I've seen most of his flicks...I think he even knows that this movie was bad, but great actors every now and then understandibly make bad movies...go ahead and rent it to find out, but for heaven's sake don't buy it unless you gotta have everything Donnie made...The Legend of the Wolf version of the film is presented with original chinese language with english subs, and the sound is 2 channel surround...The New Big Boss version is only an English Dub with a 5.1 dbd track...I don't recommend either haha, this movie is just bad, but usually chinese is the way to go for me...check out better Donnie fims like Tiger Cage 2, Iron Monkey, OUATIC 2 alongside Jet Li, Wing Chun alongside Michelle Yeoh, and Drunken Tai Chi...Hope this review was helpful, check out my other HK reviews as well... Laters

Disappointing
Poor subtitling and odd camera work made this movie much less enjoyable that I had anticipated. The story was very intriguing but was not developed well. It was also a very dark movie and hard to follow because of it (subtitles and characters). Donnie Yen is a great martial arts actor, but this wasn't the best to see as an example of that. ... Read more

Reviews (40)

Nothing Special Weak on the Action !
I know that this movie seems great to all the people who are reading these reviews, but trust me, this dvd is not worth it. The action scenes weren't that great. The plot was a little weak. The guy who played Foon didn't fight well. Don't get me wrong, I loooovvvveeeeeeee Yuen Woo-Ping movies. I lovvvvvvveeeeeeeeee Donnie Yen and Jet Li. I expected this to be a non-stop action ride. But in fact, it was greatly lacking all of the above. Yuen Woo-Ping has done some of the greatest fight sequences I have ever seen. But something happened here because nothing was original or unique. It was plain and boring. Don't get me wrong, I've seen Tai-chi master, Wing Chun, Deadly China Hero, Legend of the Drunken Master, Iron Monkey, Fist of Legend, etc, and thought they were the best movies i have ever seen for Kung-Fu. I thought Ouatic 1 was also original and moving. The way Tsui Hark directed the last fighting scene and all the rest was amazing. In this movie you had to wait for 3/4 of the movie to finally see some serious action. Crouching Tiger's action was much better and even more unique. In fact, in Hong Kong and Mainland China they criticized Crouching Tiger as being boring and having no action, while Ouatic 2 was a classic there and had absolutely no action or plot. I know the other reviews sound appealing and I stick out like a sour apple, but please try to understand. I love Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Donnie Yen, etc, but this movie was a big disappointment. I watched this in great pain. How could this movie be so ordinary and medicro. I, like you, read the reviews and said to myself, hey this movie is going to be great. I even saw a trailor of Donnie Yen and Jet Li fighting with bows in a enclosed area and said out loud, this is going to be a great movie. I will say this, the action between Donnie Yen and Jet Li was amazing but that amazing part only lasted 10 minutes. Jet Li never fights hand to hand with Donnie Yen. Donnie Yen doesn't fight at all with his hands. Please put this DVD away. Trust me, writing this review hurts me more than it hurts the people who are reading this. I'm a great admirer of Yuen, Donnie and Jet and even Tsui Hark. But this movie didn't do it for me.

In my opionion, the best of the series that I have seen
Wong Fei Hung is an important figure, not only to Chinese history, but also to me as a student of the style, which he helped make famous. The Hung Gar Style is traced back to Hung Tsi Kwan (there are lots of debates over the spelling of his name) who taught Luk Ah Choy, and Wong Tai (Wong Fei Hung's grand father) who taught Wong Kei Ying (Fei Hung's father) who refused to teach Fei Hung, forcing him to turn to Luk Ah Choy for lessons. Fei Hung then went on to teach Lam Sai Wing who wrote the book that more or less made the style famous. Hung Gar is a very common style in Southern China, but is very rare stateside with only a small number of schools teaching it. Wong Fei Hung is therefore a matter of great interest to me, which is why I bought this film without actually seeing it first. Lucky for me it ended up being a very worthwhile purchase.
Although the film continues the bizarre and fictional relationship between Wong Fei Hung and his Cousin Yee this film is the most enjoyable of the three that I have seen. There is a lot of comedy in this film that works brilliantly along side the action and the drama for this film, which fully recognizes itself as being a work of fiction despite its use of historical figures.
Wong Fei Hung and his student Foon (Now played by a different actor) set off on an adventure with Cousin Yee that bring them up against the Sinister White Lotus Society who are determined to rid China of the foreigners using a mystical power that makes them invincible. But is this power real? The film's story is more intriguing than the previous film, and the action scenes are twice as good. I highly recommend this title as it, like its predecessor is one of the finest Kung Fu films out there. Even the English dub on this film is halfway decent!

Better than the first! (by a lot!)
I've saw the first and second one and I must say that the second one was soooo much better than the first one. If you liked the first one or any other martial arts movie with Jet Li in it, then don't pass out on this one!
The second movie (in my opinion)is not nearly as violent as the first one; they don't cuss as much; and the storyline was just great! There are less fighting scenes (not too much, so don't worry) but when they do appear, they are better than all the fighting scenes in the first one combined!
What else can I say? Get this film or at least rent it!

A bad sequel to Once Upon a Time in China
This film does not come close to the quality of Once Upon a Time in China. First of all, the plot is weak, it does not have the kind of power that the original of this series did. The characters in this film seem like they are out of a comic book, while the characters in the first film were interesting and complex. The kungfu is mostly unrealistic wirework, and while Once Upon a Time in China had some of this, the emphasis was on realistic martial arts. In the original, the main characters were trying to resist the influence of the West which was destroying their culture, but in this version, the main characters are actually on the side of the Westerners and they are fighting their own people! There is no explanation of why Wong Fei Hung and his crew would side with the people who were their enemies in the last film. One of the reasons the original film was so good, was because it was about brave Chinese patriots trying to protect their culture, but in this film is seems as though they have switched sides.

Arguably the best of the series....
I picked this one up as I heard that it's the best movie in the series, as well as one of Jet Li's best movies in general; that statement is really only half right. It is most likely the best in the series, essentially due to the intricate fight scenes choreographed by none other than "The Man" Yuen Woo Ping. Unfortunately, all of the movies in this series suffer in the same manner as the build-up to the fights is rather boring and extensive; i.e. the stories are nothing to write home about. In actuality, my favorite movie with Jet Li depicting Wong Fei Hung would be "Last Hero in China", which is officially not even a part of the OUATIC series. Watch this flick for Donnie Yen; if you want to see more entertaining work by Jet Li check out "Fist of Legend" or "Kung fu Cult Master". ... Read more

Description

Action stars Michelle Yeoh and Donnie Yen are featured in this swordfighting tale starring Joey Wang as "Butterfly." Along with Tony Leung, the foursome all parry and thrust their way through a deliriously-paced yarn. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

A lot of good action but confusing as heck
This is a pretty fun movie, with lots and lots of crazy action, and some pretty well acted scenes, but it is unbelievably confusing, so you never totally get behind the characters. Michelle Yeoh looks great and does a decent job but she just seems too wholesome to pull off the role of the somewhat evil kung fu master. She is not as intense as Brigitte Lin who is really the master of that sort of character. Tony Leung, Donnie Yen, and Joey Wang are all really great in this movie. This is highly recommended for HK fans but not so much for casual kung fu fans who are better off with something like Swordman II. Be warned that there are mandarin only editions of this movie on the market, so make sure you are getting a cantonese version if that is what you want.

donnie yen and michelle yeoh are the only good things...
This film cannot be categorized as a martial arts film. Unlike the recent released Iron Monkey, Butterfly Sword's action scenes are so chaotic and confusing that you cannot really tell whether a person is fighting a deadly opponent or is simply twisting in the air for fun. With body parts flying everywhere, you wonder if you are watching a horror film. It is not a fantasy film either. There obviously is no ghost or gods, and supposedly people in this film don't really possess supernatural powers. Therefore, the action scenes can only be said to be insulting to either genre.

Despite a strong cast and beautiful scenery, the movie ultimately disappoints. One saving grace for this film is Donnie Yen. Though his great talents were wasted in his fight scenes due to over-use of wires, poor camera work and disastrous editing, he managed to compensate by putting more heart and warmth into his character, the ever serious but sincere Yip, who is the only likable character in the film. Too bad we have not seen Donnie Yen as often as we see Jet Li or Jackie Chan. A much better actor than Jet Li and extremely gifted in martial arts, he exuberates a certain charisma that simply draws people to him, either in a major role or a supporting role. Michelle Yeoh on the other hand is marvelous. She conveys emotions just as effectively as she does swirls and kicks. The scene where she glides through the air between two bamboo trees is one of few good action scenes in the movie, but it perhaps is one of the most graceful and elegant scenes I have seen in any martial art films.

Two stars for Michelle and Donnie.

Donnie Yen's best swordsplay
Donnie Yen is the only reason to get this fil