A movie that is mostly gripping from start to finish yet leaves one unsatisfied. This is because there is both great stuff and undermining weak stuff.
It's a genre salad, mixing a Western-style harsh redemption drama, martial arts, some over-the-top evil-cult stuff, super-acupuncture as well as physical powers that are so over-the-top the genre veers into the supernatural myth-fantasy, and a detective story with a super-observant eye and arcane knowledge, Sherlock style. Some of it works, some doesn't, and some of it undermines the other parts.
Most of all however, it is a re-imagining of "A History of Violence" in a historical kung-fu setting with much more over-the-top elements.
The cinematography, location shooting, and texture-rich historical detail are all superb, as is the rousing, unusually rocking soundtrack for such a period pic.
There are only 2-3 action scenes and each is very different. One is a tricky fight scene involving fighting without fighting which has both brilliant Rashomon-style dual angles, as well as a bit of cheating of the audience. The middle fight scene is classic fury and thrilling action with (not too much) wire-work. The last one involves too much supernatural power that undermines the action, leading to a very disappointing deus-ex-machina ending.
Donnie Yen is not an expressive actor to say the least, but here he does some of his best acting work (relatively!). His fury is still way too flat however. Other actors all do better. Some characters arcs like Donnie's and his wife's are done well, the detective's character is a mess however.
As you can gather from the above, it's a very mixed bag. But definitely worth the watch as long as one isn't expecting only a martial-arts movie (almost but not quite enough great action). I think it's one of those movies that one watches and enjoys, but which then becomes very bothersome and doesn't sit well in the mind, what with all the what-ifs and flaws and certain knowledge of how great it could have been with some adjustments. For example, how good it may have been if they had kept it more realistic.
Oh, and I watched the full version (115mins). I would avoid the Weinstein-raped cut version. Those releases are never good.
It's a genre salad, mixing a Western-style harsh redemption drama, martial arts, some over-the-top evil-cult stuff, super-acupuncture as well as physical powers that are so over-the-top the genre veers into the supernatural myth-fantasy, and a detective story with a super-observant eye and arcane knowledge, Sherlock style. Some of it works, some doesn't, and some of it undermines the other parts.
Most of all however, it is a re-imagining of "A History of Violence" in a historical kung-fu setting with much more over-the-top elements.
The cinematography, location shooting, and texture-rich historical detail are all superb, as is the rousing, unusually rocking soundtrack for such a period pic.
There are only 2-3 action scenes and each is very different. One is a tricky fight scene involving fighting without fighting which has both brilliant Rashomon-style dual angles, as well as a bit of cheating of the audience. The middle fight scene is classic fury and thrilling action with (not too much) wire-work. The last one involves too much supernatural power that undermines the action, leading to a very disappointing deus-ex-machina ending.
Donnie Yen is not an expressive actor to say the least, but here he does some of his best acting work (relatively!). His fury is still way too flat however. Other actors all do better. Some characters arcs like Donnie's and his wife's are done well, the detective's character is a mess however.
As you can gather from the above, it's a very mixed bag. But definitely worth the watch as long as one isn't expecting only a martial-arts movie (almost but not quite enough great action). I think it's one of those movies that one watches and enjoys, but which then becomes very bothersome and doesn't sit well in the mind, what with all the what-ifs and flaws and certain knowledge of how great it could have been with some adjustments. For example, how good it may have been if they had kept it more realistic.
Oh, and I watched the full version (115mins). I would avoid the Weinstein-raped cut version. Those releases are never good.