Simply put: It is hard enough to find a really spectacular film, one that stands out above the others.
It is even harder to find one which, the moment you see it, you know there will be never be anything like it again because it is a "one of a kind." This is the real deal. The opening scene is the eastern version of the opener in A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE 2005 (also, not by coincidence, one of my all time faves) and the remainder of the arc is very similar, allowing for the cultural variations.
Donnie Yen arguably gives one of the most nuanced performances of his career, Takeshi brings back memories of Peter Falk in Columbo, and the beautiful Wei Tang remains one of the most overlooked Asian actresses.
A caution: if you go on a Wushu binge and approach this as just another Kung Fu spectacular, you will get annoyed and confused.
If you take the time to savour the plot development and the subtle performances, you will have the time of your life.
It is even harder to find one which, the moment you see it, you know there will be never be anything like it again because it is a "one of a kind." This is the real deal. The opening scene is the eastern version of the opener in A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE 2005 (also, not by coincidence, one of my all time faves) and the remainder of the arc is very similar, allowing for the cultural variations.
Donnie Yen arguably gives one of the most nuanced performances of his career, Takeshi brings back memories of Peter Falk in Columbo, and the beautiful Wei Tang remains one of the most overlooked Asian actresses.
A caution: if you go on a Wushu binge and approach this as just another Kung Fu spectacular, you will get annoyed and confused.
If you take the time to savour the plot development and the subtle performances, you will have the time of your life.