Amazon.com

No one uses color like Chinese director Zhang Yimou--movies like Raise the Red Lantern or Hero, though different in tone and subject matter, are drenched in rich, luscious shades of red, blue, yellow, and green. House of Flying Daggers is no exception; if they weren't choreographed with such vigorous imagination, the spectacular action sequences would seem little more than an excuse for vivid hues rippling across the screen. Government officers Leo and Jin (Asian superstars Andy Lau and Takeshi Kaneshiro) set out to destroy an underground rebellion called the House of Flying Daggers (named for their weapon of choice, a curved blade that swoops through the air like a boomerang). Their only chance to find the rebels is a blind women named Mei (Ziyi Zhang, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) who has some lethal kung fu moves of her own. In the guise of an aspiring rebel, Jin escorts Mei through gorgeous forests and fields that become bloody battlegrounds as soldiers try to kill them both. While arrows and spears of bamboo fly through the air, Mei, Jin, and Leo turn against each other in surprising ways, driven by passion and honor. Zhang's previous action/art film, Hero, sometimes sacrificed momentum for sheer visual beauty; House of Flying Daggers finds a more muscular balance of aesthetic splendor and dazzling swordplay. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (153)

DO NOT buy this crap!
OK! Who the hell gave this movie 4 stars??!! Poor story, poor dialog, poor EVERYTHING!!! This movie sucked. Get stabbed by a dagger and the girl stays alive until the unnecessary long fight between two bad actors is over??!! Come on! This movie is worse than the Hindi crap that comes out of Bollywood. Wish I could give it zero stars, but I can't. Amazon, will you please see that movies of this low quality get zero stars?

Technically breathtaking, but left this viewer a little cold
Zhang Yimou's HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS continues where the director's HERO left off: it is a film of immense visual beauty and amazing choreography, supporting a plot with melodramatic elements to it. But whereas HERO could conceivably, amidst the dazzling imagistic pageantry and big emotions, be interpreted as a political statement (the film ends with a ruler having to sacrifice a hero for what he considers the greater cause of unifying feudal China), HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS is content to be romantic melodrama, plain and simple.

Personally, I kinda prefer the extra intellectual and thematic stimulation offered by HERO. At the end of that film, you really had something to think about; at the end of HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS...well, the story is over (and a song sung in English by soprano Kathleen Battle plays over the closing credits). Nothing of great consequence, I felt, had really happened in this film; it is basically one ravishing image and one amazing fight sequence following another, interspersed with (admittedly well-acted) moments of intimacy or high drama. If Zhang Yimou was aiming for thematic subtlety in HERO, here he goes for operatic emotions and visual spectacle. And for all its technical brilliance, the whole thing ultimately left me a little cold---maybe a bit too melodramatic and soapy for my taste.

That is a very personal reaction, of course. The technical brilliance Zhang Yimou brings to HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS is not to be denied; these are some of the most breathtaking (and breathtakingly filmed) fight sequences seen since the last notable "wuxia" film, Ang Lee's CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON. And the actors bring as much conviction as possible to their basically two-dimensional characters: certainly, as House of Flying Daggers member Mei, Ziyi Zhang brings convincing passion to her role, as do Takeshi Kaneshiro and Andy Lau as, respectively Jin and Leo, two police deputies who rescue Mei from prison and try to trick her into bringing them to the House of Flying Daggers to stop their rebelliousness once and for all.

Perhaps the best way to appreciate HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS is to look at it as a cinematic opera. Zhang Yimou is clearly not afraid to work on a big canvas, and he brings all the big emotions and spectacular sights he can to tell his melodramatic story. Those who go into this film expecting to be dazzled will most likely be satisfied; it is a genuine technical marvel. For me, though, I was expecting more substance to the film than it delivered. HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS may be more purely enjoyable than HERO, but the latter, to me, is a much more interesting movie than this one.

Super Cool Movie!!!
The action and special effects sequences in this movie are incredibly fun to watch.Zhang Ziyi is flawless as usual, and her perfomance and beauty justifies buying this DVD in itself.

Great cinematography, weak story
Genre: Foreign, Martial Arts, Romance

Genre Grade: B+

Final Grade: A-

This was another great film from Chinese director Yimou Zhang. Although not even close to comparing to his last film, Hero, it still was a great movie. Zhang is an artist, it is as simple as that. His locations are perfect, the colors are vibrant, and the characters are passionate. This is much more a love story than anything. It offers some good surprises concerning the characters and keeps the mystery of the "House of Flying Daggers" a secret to even the viewers. Actress Ziyi Zhang should learn to speak English because she could be a huge star in the United States.

I recommend this film to anyone who enjoyed Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon or Hero. It is dubbed in English so you don't have to read subtitles if you don't want to.

stunning
Yimou is a true artist of cinema. Hero and House of Flying Daggers are beautiful and spiritual adventures in Asian cinema. Both films are remarkable acheivments that are lost on the reviewer who gave this film one star. True art is often missunderstood by the masses. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Chungking Express tells two stories loosely connected by a Hong Kong snack bar. In one story, a cop who's been recently dumped by his girlfriend becomes obsessed with the expiration dates on cans of pineapple; he's constantly distracted as he tries to track down a drug dealer in a blond wig (played by Brigitte Lin, best known from Swordsman II and The Bride with White Hair). Meanwhile, another cop who's recently been dumped by his girlfriend (Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, from John Woo's Hard-Boiled and A Bullet in the Head) mopes around his apartment, talking to his sponge and other domestic objects. He catches the eye of a shop girl (Hong Kong pop star Faye Wang) who secretly breaks in and cleans his apartment. If you're beginning to suspect that neither of these stories has a conventional plot, you're correct. What Chungking Express does have is loads of energy and a gorgeous visual style that never gets in the way of engaging with the charming characters. The movie was shot on the fly by hip director Wong Kar-Wai (Happy Together, Ashes of Time), using only available lighting and found locations. The movie's loose, improvisational feel is closer to Jean-Luc Godard's Breathless than any recent film--and that's high praise. Quirky, funny, and extremely engaging, Chungking Express manages to be experimental and completely accessible at the same time. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (69)

Not your typical HK flick....
This movie (directed by Wong Kar-wai) tells two separate stories. In the first one, a lonely cop who has just been left out in the cold by his girl-friend May, buys and eats expired cans of pineapple and meets a woman who turns out to be a ruthless heroin dealer (Brigitte Lin) who wears a blonde wig. In the second story, a cop who has been dumped by his girlfriend is really unhappy, moping round his apartment all day. Then he meets the waitress at the local fast food joint (Faye Wong), who dreams of going to California.

I really liked watching this film. The imagery and camerawork is stunning, and it is amusing and sad in equal parts, telling the story of how lonely the people are. Another striking thing is the inventive use of music within the stories which is used to illustrate certain points - listen out for songs like "What A Difference A Day Makes" and the Mamas and the Papas classic hit "California Dreamin`". I didn`t expect to hear English songs in a Hong Kong movie.

I think it's a nice change to see another type of Asian movie, one which isn`t all shooting or kung-fu. It has an experimental style, lots of energy, and is not afraid to be different.

I highly recommend this tape to people who want to check out a different sort of HK film. If you pass it up, you`re missing out on a gem.

NOT A MARTIAL ARTS/ACTION MOVIE
Great date film.... Urban isolation, bad break ups, and quirky humor characterizes this film, with some great perfomances by Tony Leung, Takeshi Kaneshiro, and "the Madonna of Mandarin," pop star, Faye Wong. Bridgette Lin also has one of her best roles ever, although she's incognito in a blond whig and sunglasses. Told in the two seperate halves that comprise the film, Kaneshiro and Leung both play H.K. cops who have been dumped by their girlfriends, with both coping in different ways. Kaneshiro persistant in his hopes his ex will change her mind, Leung forlorn and down. Almost universally, most people prefer Leungs half of the movie. Leung is so down about his girlfriend's rejection of him, that he's totally unaware that the woman (F. Wong) working at the fast food stand where he eats has fallen for him and is sneaking into and redecorating his appartment. On a more personal note, Valerie Chow, my favorite H.K. Cinema uber-babe and the only one who could possibly eclipse Rosamund Kwan, has a minor role as Leung's airline stewardess ex-girlfriend (I never understood why she was never more prominant in H.K. Cinema-she could make it just on looks alone-she also appears in Tsui Harks The Blade). Very intelligent, thought out, and entertaining.

Wonderful inside view of Hong Kong
Hong Kong is often a study of the absurd, but it always has a way of captivating you. This movie manages to capture much of both sides of this. While those who know Hong Kong find some of the continuity a little jumpy (how do they get from Hong Kong to Kowloon and back so fast?), it is a gem of a visual introduction to living in the real Hong Kong. Filmed almost entirely within a few blocks around Wellington Street, the escalator and Lan Kwai Fong, you can almost smell the streets as they were 10 years ago. The 2 stories that make up the film are also contrasts - between the sheer pace and mayhem of one to the simple minded childishness of the other. Brilliant.

Love and obsession....
This movie brings together a great cast, including the legendary Brigitte Lin, and the indelible Faye Wong. Loosely speaking, Chungking Express is the unraveling of two not-so-separate stories about love and obsession. The connection between the two stories is like a subtle undercurrent. At more than one point we see the characters of the two stories cross path, much like anyone of us cross paths with hundreds of unknown faces everyday. They are unaware of each other...why should they?

The film explores the nuanced boudaries of love and obsession, of fantasy and reality. The characters are cops, a drug dealer, and a fast food clerk. Their lives occur against the backdrop of the urban jungle that is modern day Hong Kong, where escalators are built so close to apartment buildings that when you look out your second floor apartment, you see shadows of strangers riding up and down your neighborhood. In this postmodern and unreal landscape plays out the primal desires of love and obsession where hope, disappointment, rationality, irrationality, reality, and fantasy plays tricks on our minds. All this is well put together in a tantalizing and sexy film. (spoiler alert) It pits one conventional love story ending with one not so conventional. I've watched this film numerous times, and every time I come away with a reminder of how my desires is a delicate balance between sense and non-sense. Check this film out!

Different? Yes. Good? Well...
This overrated film by hip oriental director Wong Kar-Wai manages to be mildly intriguing and interesting at times but for the most part it just misses its target. Yes, there is some stylish and neat directing to find here, as well as some weird and offbeat scenes once in a while, yet the movie is ultimately too long and it seems to lack a point. What begins as an appealing story (or stories) about urban alienation and the isolation of some japanese youngsters soon turns into a repetitive, tiresome and, at parts, irritating cinematic experience ("California Dreaming", anyone??). The characters range from frustrated daydreamers to annoying and erratic losers who can`t seem to find a goal for their lives. "Chungking Express" is quircky and kind of amusing here and there, still overall it fails to convince.
Average. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Love this film.......but all my friends hate it!
Must say that this is one of the most memorable films that i've seen. To describe it in a few words: original and quirky film about some guy who knows he's going to die, so what does he do about it? The film stars Takeshi Kaneshiro (really cool Japanese actor/model dude)as a less-than-motivated foreign student in New York City, and Mira Sorvino as Death herself. It even includes director Wong Suk Chin in an amusing cameo appearance as a Chinatown Hitman.

Well, based on the characters and rough plot, you kinda get the idea that this could turn out to be an absolute waste of time. But if you're patient enough to sit through what can appear to be a pointless film, this can be a rewarding experience. Mostly, this is due to clever snippets of random dialogue throughout the film; less so for content and more so because of delivery. This is where the random characters come in. Among other things, I enjoyed Mira Sorvino trying out 2 different chinese dialects, Italian guy getting sarcastic about the Japanese anatomical inferiority, 12-year old girl describing how pointless manogamy can be, and a hilarious discussion about why its good to take a book into a cafe even if you're not going to be reading it.

Mira Sorvino is brilliant as a charming and strangely compassionate Death. But the most memorable character of the lot is Takeshi's. While the man himself is not a particularly good actor, he more than makes up for this deficiency by just looking so much the part; the part of a character who hardly seems as if he is able to do anything significant for the film. He seems to just laze through the film, even after having been told by death that he faces a premature end. But it is this sort of pace, and Takeshi's encounters with the various random people, that makes this film enjoyable. The tone of the film darkens and gets more profound towards the end. The finale is predictable in terms of the result, but how it happens is less so.

To examine this film any further would be to take it too seriously. The production of the film smacks of deliberate lack of effort, and this is reflected in the many simple and shallow character developments. Yet, it seemed to strike a lot of chords with me, especially since at the time of watching i was a similarly lackadaisical overseas student struggling to get in gear.

Don't expect the film to portray a theme of any kind, but bear in mind the way it takes a superficial look at many disjointed issues. Check this film out only if you're in the mood, or if you're "too tired" to do anything else. ... Read more

Reviews (45)

Good movie, bad video transfer...
I cannot give an objective review of the movie because of the quality of the VHS where I've seen Fallen Angels. It is sad to note that very seldom quality Chinese films are widely released for sale, and if so, a poor video transfer is expected. I wasn't able to appreciate the cinematography and direction of Fallen Angels because the video transfer was so poor and English subtitles were too small. There are some words which I cannot read because the white-colored subtitles blend on a white background in the movie.

I can understand a few of the dialogues but it is crucial that I get every word in this movie for the main reason that it is a Wong-Kar Wai film. I've seen most of WKW movies such as Ashes of Time, In the Mood For Love, Happy Together, Days of Being Wild, and this. And for me, this movie is the darkest one of all. Where in the world would you see a mute giving a dead pig a good massage? There were a lot of funny parts but unfortunately I wasn't able to fully appreciate the movie due to the fact that the VHS transfer was poor.

I've read the reviews on Ashes of Time, and most reviews commented about the poor video transfer on the DVD. Fallen Angels cost $$, who would like to buy a single DVD at this amount without even providing supplementary features. Add to that, we are not assured of a quality video transfer and a stereo or dolby digital surround sound. Because of this fact, I have to praise Criterion for doing a commendable DVD tranfer of In The Mood For Love, which for me is one of the best Chinese movies I've ever seen. Because of this movie, I've been looking for WKW movies, but unfortunately, none can be found in the Philippines, and if so, of poor quality.

I guess that's my only setback, otherwise, the movie is good, dark, comic and illogical. Perfect for WKW fans.

Film of the Month
Is Wong Kar-Wai the world's most exciting film-maker? Fallen Angels, his fifth feature and the follow-up to Chungking Express, constitutes strong evidence in his favor. With enough manic energy to fuel ten ordinary films, Wong has created a sublime, freewheeling, melancholy action-romance which switches and subverts genres in the blink of an eye. One second it's an all-guns-blazing John Woo homage, the nexts it's a goofball slapstick, the next it's a hymn to lost or hoped for love.

Plotwise the film is just as unsettled, with numerous plots and characters careening through the neon-blurred Hong Kong night. Singer Leon Lai is Killer, a gun-for-hire who has an unconsummatable crush on Agent, the partner he has never met (played by former Miss HK Michelle Reis). In the same orbit circulates ex-con Ho (Chungking's Takeshi Kanashiro), a mute who earns his living by breaking into places of business by night and forcing his services upon unwitting 'customers'. Wong sets these characters up and then cuts them loose, allowing them to be propelled through the film by the kineticism of their own thoughts, schemes and dreams.

Cinematographer Chris Doyle and editor/production designer William Chang help Wong create a film that looks, feels and moves like no other; quite literally reconfiguring cinematic time and space with spastic yet graceful narrative structure, rule-breaking, arrhythmic editing, forced perspectives and smeared action scenes. It's a dizzying, disorienting experience, shot almost entirely hand-held with a wide-angle lens and often in extreme close-up. Strip away the flash, however, and Wong's vision remains compelling; it's easy to relate to his dreamers, loners and misfits, wandering rainy streets and haunting dark bars looking for people with which they can connect and places where they can belong. Funny, stylish, sensual and ultimately very moving, Fallen Angels leaves you in no doubt that, yes, Wong Kar-Wai is the world's most exciting film-maker.

Compulsive, Obsessive, Redemptive.
"Fallen Angels" is really the third episode of Wong's earlier two-part film "Chungking Express". It harks back to the first noirish segment of that film, after the bouncy second episode stolen by pop star Faye Wong, but is even darker and more obscure. The characters all seem in extremis, on the edge of dissolution, junkies of one sort or another -- except possibly the hitman ('assasin'), cool, detached, in control. This darkness is expressed in the chaotic home movie ambience (of course, carefully contrived); some is even shot as literal, really bad, home-video-within-a-movie.

Though there does not seem to be a direct plot link between "Chungking" and "Fallen Angels" the same way there was between the two segments of "Chungking Express" (where Cop 223 turned down a suggestion of a date with Faye only hours before she fell in love with Cop 663, and Faye and 663 make brief background appearances in segment one), there are many connections. Some locations seem to be the same, and although the fast food joint Midnight Express so central to "Chunking Express" does not play the same role here, the restaurant and its proprietor do enter near the end. The mute ex-con (prisoner #223) of Fallen Angels and Cop #223 of CKE are both played by the same actor (Takeshi Kaneshiro) and both named He Qiwu [per subtitles; IMDB has He Zhiwu, closer to the soundtrack]. He Qiwu of Fallen Angels was made mute by a can of expired pineapple, while CKE's Cop #223 was obsessed with about-to-expire pineapple cans. At one point the Mute dances briefly in Midnight Express with the same moves used by Faye, as she danced her way through her work at the restaurant in CKE. Where Faye invaded Cop #663's apartment in Chungking Express to simply be in his space, and later to bring to it light and life, the Agent's obsession is darker as she invades the hitman's anonymous rooms to sweep up and carry away her partner's detritus to her own room (in the hotel the Mute's father manages), where she examines it for clues to his personal life and habits.

As these complexities might indicate, "Fallen Angels" repays repeated viewing -- in the sense that your understanding of the film will deepen, as will its emotional impact, not in the sense of a film student obsessing with technicalities. There is just too much in the film to completely take it in on first viewing, which is not to say that the first viewing won't be a sock in the gut, a magnificent swirling collage of images, sounds and quirky characters.

WKW often makes music an integral part of his films, and the choice here is superb -- poignant and evocative, multilingual and multicontinental, each thematic piece fitting exactly mood and character -- and is perhaps what sticks most lingeringly in the mind. (I only wish it were credited, or there were a soundtrack album!)

The first time I saw "Fallen Angels" I thought it ended on a melancholy, even depressing, note. It seemed as if the characters were not about to make any transition, not even to escape, as they do in the each episode of "Chungking Express". If there is redemption here, it is in very small ways, and maybe that is what Wong is saying -- we can only hope for momentary hope, not a better tomorrow but a brief respite before tomorrow. Life goes on, maybe, a little longer, and we must find what solace we can, while we can, in someone to hold for a night or just a motorcycle ride. Several viewings later, though, the film becomes transformative, and if not optimistic, redemptive and even joyful Yes, it seems to say, that *is* all there is ... but that ain't bad.

(A note re those who had problems with the transfer or subtitles: I've been bitten by horrible transfers of other Asian films, but I viewed a recent copy of the US DVD release, and it seems just fine. An older VHS was not so good but acceptable. I don't recall any problems with the subtitles, and bad ones frequently drive me to frothing rage.)

not crazy about it
Wasn't feeling the chemistry between them.

...nothing more important than feelings...
i have to admit that my concept/experience/knowledge about movies is so so little that i wouldn't dare to write a review on films like Fallen Angels. however, what's important is my feeling towards this film. whether one sees this contention as subjective or not (or even objective) is what i don't care at all.

as always, Wong Kar-Wai's film is a kind of "love it" or "hate it" type of movie. and because of the commercial implications by using Hong Kong best actors/actress and pop idols in all his movies, 'art' film critics might cynically condemn his non-independent filmmaking spirit while the mainstream would see Wong's film as 'crap' due to his use of motion, colour, plots, narratives, etc.

but for me, it is the naturalness of his characters' interaction/exchange that i really love. though, Fallen Angels is more constructed/composed in terms of continuity and narration compared to Chungking Express, Fallen Angels' visual imagery is absolutely fabulous if one is really into some kind of abstract painting by Mark Rothko or Jason Pollock; or, in terms of music, if one is into drones and abstract atmospheric music, one will find Fallen Angels lovely forever. well, what's central to Wong's films is the investigation of human relationship.

if anyone could feel or sense the isolation of living in a cosmopolitan society (i mean isolation is not a new concept), let me elaborate a bit. if one has a habit or like to talks to oneself in an imaginary public sector, then one will find Fallen Angels so heartbreaking due to its prominent use of voice-over. its use of voice-over view point reveal and investigate the human psyche and isolation which will deeply resonate any individuals' feeling of hope and lost if being an individual means isolation.

whether Wong's film is a critique of a post-colonial space is out of my interest, what's vital to me is that Fallen Angels gives me a sense of joy, resonance, isolation, sadness, happiness, reflection, narcissism and cosmopolitan myth all at the same time. because of this, what's great about Fallen Angels, unlike other 'art' films or 'good' commercial movies, is that it invokes/stimulates our personal meditation on life, particularly our everyday life. and this meditation is done through a manner in which we are just like walking on the street and 'accidentally' find ourselves mucking around with and sharing our private stories with the not so 'strange' strangers... ... Read more

Reviews (33)

Not Bad
I purchased this movie expecting a cheesy film with bad acting like most recent Japanese live-action movies. I also expected a movie that borrowed heavily from other movies. But this really wasn't either one of those movies, at least not more than any other movie out of Hollywood.

Others have already reviewed this movie (girl goes back in time to save the human race), so I won't spend any more time on it.

The acting wasn't bad at all, especially Ann Suzuki's sometimes-serious, sometimes-rebellious character, Milly. The dubbing was also done well -- it was actually worth listening to. The CG and special effects were very good and imaginative, contributing to the plot. The soundtrack was a little inconsistent, and some of the camerawork was kind of strange, but nothing too distracting.

All in all, this movie stands on its own as a good sci-fi movie. It won't compare to older movies by Kurosawa, and it isn't as refined as many recent science fiction movies from the U.S. (although much better than Roland Emmerich's Godzilla), but it's still not bad by any stretch.

Three and a Half Stars
Go ahead and judge this movie by its cover. Looks like a lot of other recent sci-fi/action flicks, doesn't it? Guy in a trenchcoat, posing with a gun, lesser female character in the background, numbers rolling down behind them... Looks like the Matrix. Looks like Equlibrium. It isn't too far off.
Actually, "The Returner" borrows more from "The Terminator" trilogy than anything else. It actually borrows too much. The story is exactly the same. In "The Returner" a war is being waged in the future against a race of aliens, and a girl must travel back to the present time to stop the war from ever beginning. Sounds a lot like a certain series starring Arnold Schwarzenneger, does it not?
The girl even brings back a gadget from the future - a wristband - that allows a charcater wearing it to travel twenty times faster than everyone else for a brief period of time. This, as you might expect, allows for a few "Bullet-time" scenes, with enemies and bullets traveling in super slowmotion, while our heroes dodge the bullets with fancy acrobatic techniques. Seen it before, but it still looks cool.
"The Returner" is a special effects filled sci-fi/action flick, that gives viewers exactly what they'll expect. It has likable characters, an interesting ending, and is only slightly hurt by its lack of real originality.
Don'y go out of your way to see it, but if you are looking for a fun way to spend an hour and a half, this may be a great choice.

Wow
I think this movie is not getting the credit it deserves. Not only is the action great but the story is also excellent. The acting is great too. I suggest that you watch it with subtitles to fully see the acting. Anyway, overall this movie was great and I recomend it to anyone.

Watchable But Cheesy
* I got into the mood to watch a cheesy B-movie and, having seen
previews for the Japanese live-action film RETURNER on an anime DVD,
thought it might do the job.

At the beginning of RETURNER, a Japanese soldier of fortune named
Miyamoto (Takeshi Kaneshiro) is engaged in a crusade against his
arch-enemy, a brutal agent of the Chinese Triad gangs named Mizoguchi
(Goro Kishitani), when the fight is interrupted by the arrival of a
time-traveler from the future named Milly (Anne Suzuki). Miyamoto,
not surprisingly, finds it hard to believe that she's been sent back
in time from the future to head off an alien invasion, due to begin in
a few days. He gradually comes over to her side, however, and the two
cooperate to rescue a stranded alien from Mizoguchi.

I have to admit that if I wanted an amusing cheesy B-movie, RETURNER
fit the bill. The production values are good, the acting ranges from
OK to good -- Takeshi Kaneshiro is a very appealing actor, sort of
like a Japanese Keanu Reeves -- and it snaps along fairly nicely.
However, part of the amusement was at the cheesiness of the thing,
mostly in terms of the script. There was the usual sort of B-movie
silliness -- the bad guys catch the heroes and instead of killing them
on the spot, gloat and give the heroes time to pull something deadly
out of their sleeves. Doing this once would have been dumb, but the
bad guys keep doing it over and over, making me want to shout: "Just
shoot them! Just shoot them! Why is that so hard?!"

OK, I might put up with that, but I spent a good part of my time just
figuring out all the lifts in the script from other films -- THE
MATRIX, INDEPENDENCE DAY, and every time-travel movie I've ever seen.
"Oh no, they're throwing in a bit of ET! And adding a Transformer,
too!" They try to compensate by layering on the violence, but it
doesn't work. After seeing this movie I have to remind myself that I
have seen some brilliant anime (along with some really bad stuff as
well, of course) and know there are Japanese film-makers out there who
are capable of coming up with original ideas.

Well, I wanted to watch a cheesy B-movie, I got exactly what I wanted,
so I can't complain. However, I definitely got the craving for cheesy
B-movies out of my system for a good long while.

Pleasantly surprised!!
I was pleasantly surprised because I didn't think that I would like it. Turned out to a slick action/futuristic/sci-fi film. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Grim "un"reality of post-armageddon China
This film's prequel, The Heroic Trio, end with a triumphant mood as the sexy trifecta of Wonder Woman, Invisible Girl and Thief Catcher make good and rid China of a demon from Hell who threatened the very existance of mankind. When Executioners opens, it would seem that no one was paying attention to the evil people who lived on Earth because China (and the rest of the world by extension) is devastated in a post-holocaustic setting without clean water and with very little future to look forward to. The Trio comes out of semi-retirement to battle the evil forces of monstrous megalomanics and military murderers. Throw in a couple of superhuman freaks and the battleground is set. But fans of Heroic Trio should be forewarned: even though Good must always defeat Evil, there are very few happy endings in Executioners. It's a very sad film that emphasizes the need for sacrifice in order to acheive the Greater Good. And this film has sacrifices in spades.

On the bright side, it's well acted and Anita Mui stands out in a stunning performance that features her mercurial beauty and her martial arts guile. Michelle Yeoh is Michelle Yeoh and there's no greater compliment than that. Maggie Cheung treats the film as though she's slumming with a B-script instead of starring in an A-level art film but she's still a treat whenever she's chewing up the scenery with her grumpy outbursts. Anthony Wong provides the necessary touches of Evil that make you yearn for the Heroic Trio to hasten his demise. Damian Yau will make you cry.

The music is, as always, a plus in any HK film that features Mui.

Don't sit back and expect a rollicking good time. This is heavy duty fare here. But's it's probably the most-layered and intense HK film that you'll see in a good long time.

NOT Charlies Angels
A nuclear holocaust more or less wipes out civilization and non-contaminated drinking water becomes a scarce commodity. Throw in a lot of social upheaval, the inevitable corrupt government officials, the re-united Heroic Trio, and you get this film, where Maggie Cheung, Anita Mui, and Michelle Yeoh get together one last time to set things right. Sort of. Just be warned this film is syrupy even for Hong Kong Cinema, with lots of cloying sentimental singing over the scenes, crying little girls, destitute people, and butchered martyrs. On the brighter side, it has some truly hellish fights, with one of the three musketeers buying the farm in a manner that's grisly even for standard setting H.K. cinema. The villian is a real heavy who looks like Mankind, the professional wrestler and has a penchant and dispositon for slaughter that makes Freddy Kreuger look like a girl scout in comparison. If you're just getting into Honk Kong Cinema, this film might scare you away, if you're a devoted follower of the genre, you'll probably like it, if you're sitting on the proverbial fence, try something else like one the Chinese Ghost Story films, preferably III. All in all, I didn't really like it myself, although Michelle Yeoh never fails to impress, Anita Mui looked very sultry, and Maggie Cheung never looked better, even if her character was 99.999% attitude problem. Maggie also teaches us how to say "asshole" in Cantonese, which might come in handy in certain Chinese resteraunts where the service is really rude.

Classic flick with all the trimmings
Its hard to say that this movie was awesome, but it was close. I enjoyed the performances of the actresses more than the plot. AS strange as this may seem, each of the stars, possed skills that set them apart from the others. Anita Mui gave an outstanding performance with her talents using the sword. Not to say that Michelle Yeoh and Maggie Cheung gave there best to make this movie a classic. But the movie dragged at points. THe women made the movie worth the view!

Unsatisfying sequel
A very unsatisfying sequel to the wonderful "Heroic Trio." The movie is dark and quite frankly very depressing. Three of the most likable major characters die horribly. Defeat and darkness seem to be the major themes here. There are also other problems; the villain is unbelievably silly, even by HK action movie standards. Master Kim, the villain, spends much of his time in the movie talking to a severed head. Michelle Yeoh is barely in the movie, and much of Anita Mui's screentime is limited to domestic scenes with her husband, who apparently has forbidden her to be Wonder Woman now that she has a child. Maggie Cheung has to carry a lot of the plot (such as it is) as a result, and she's definitely not up to the task in this movie. Instead of appearing scrappy and self-reliant, as in Heroic Trio, her character in "Executioners" comes off as shrill, mean-spirited, and not very bright.

But I don't know if anyone could have worked with this ruin of a plot. Even by HK action standards, the plot is lacking. Several of the most interesting plot threads that began in Heroic Trio (the fact that Wonder Woman and Invisible Girl are sisters, for example) are dropped completely or handled poorly in this movie. The characters are denied the depth and humanity they could have had. The actresses (for the most part) do the best they can with the script (except for Cheung, who really is not very likable here), but the overall pessimism and ugliness eventually overwhelms them - and everyone else in the movie.

Overall, this sequel is very disappointing. I can wholeheartedly recommend "Heroic Trio," but not this movie. Fans of the first film would be well advised to give this one a pass. There's really nothing to recommend this depressing, sludgy mess.

two hours of my life I'll never get back
I don't know what it is about this movie, but it's horrible. That's a particularly sad thing to say after Heroic Trio is one of the best Hong Kong movies in a long time. I'm not sure if I'm annoyed with Michelle Yoeh's prolonged death or her prolonged presence with nothing to do for the rest of the movie, or the fact that the husband is killed 20 minutes into the movie.

It's not just that this is one of the dumber Hong Kong movies I've seen, it's also that it had a potential to be really great. It has great stars, it's a sequel to an amazing movie and it just falls flat. Too many places where nothing's happening, dumb jokes, awful musical montages and the fight scenes don't excite me.

Nothing really to recommend in this movie. I suppose if you are a diehard fan of Anita Mui, Michelle Yoeh or Maggie Cheung (whose better in Green Snake) watch it, but be prepared to be disappointed. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Kung Fu Comedy
This is no hard core Jet Li kicking [BUTT] movie. It's a very amusing comedy of Jet Li's charactor searching for a scroll called the "scriptures with no words" The setting takes on an Indiana Jones era. It's lots of fun, laughter and there's even some romance. Whatever you do don't miss the scene where Jet is disguised as a woman, batting eyelids and all. This is a very funny movie and if judged on the basis of being a comedy is a must-buy for any Jet Li fan.

Jet Li as a HK Indiana Jones
'Dr. Wai & the Scripture with no Words'(1995) stars Jet Li and Rosamund Kwan as husband and wife in a troubled marriage. Jet Li is an author, and has no time for his wife (Kwan). His pending divorce leads to an erratic new book, an everchanging story as told by the writer. We jump back and forth from reality to this fictional tale of incredible adventure. Kind of like a HK Raiders of the Lost Ark, without Harrison Ford. Anyway, the story changes as Li, Kwan, and his two assistants alter/edit the story depending on their point of view. Action wise, it's ok with a little tai chi (cool) and some high flying stuff. A HK action/romance with wacky special effects, a monster, a giant rat, and lots of plot twists + a happy ending for a change. OK, but hard to watch.

It's about writing not fighting.
I had to respond to the reviewers who complained about the lack of fight scenes. The character played by Jet Li is not a martial artist. He is an author. With writer's block, due to an impending divorce from beautiful Rosamund Kwan. He is contractually obligated to deliver an adventure story but his heart is not in it, and he cannot get started. His assistants get involved and the story-within-a-story begins to take shape. But it also takes on an odd role-playing quality. The characters shift according to who is making up the plot. Jet Li writes himself and his ex (as a traitorous witch) in as the main characters. But then the ex gets ahold of it and twists her character around to reveal herself to be a double agent and loyal ally! The movie is sly about the act the creation, and speaks volumes about the committee thinking that is pervasive in moviemaking. The multiple person generated plotline is a wild litany of train crashes, airplane stunts and other outrageous silliness that just gets progressively more and more far-fetched. Just because Jet Li is involved and the film is not a chop socky wall-to-wall actioner does not speak of a lack of creative intent. This is one of the smartest and most intriguing films of Li's career. A definite must watch.

DR. WAI AND IN THE FILM THAT HAS ALMOST NO MARTIAL ARTS
Jet Li in an (imaginary) Indiana Jones role that he fills semi-well. Considering the obviouly large budget of this film the paucity of fights was disappointing. This film reminded me of High Risk in which, starring Jet Li as it does, you expect more than a couple of good martial arts scenes, but, like High Risk, this film leaves you hanging. We've all seen this happen before in films like this: they spend so much time on frills they forget the basics. It's not unwatchable, but don't go in with high expectations.

Comedy- Adevnture
This is a comedy action film and not your 'Fist of Legend' type of martial arts. Nevertheless I found it entertaining to see Jet Li doing things you would never expect like disguising himself as a woman at one point. It was hilarious to see the man batting his eyelids girly-style. Howerver be warned that the english version has been severely cut and edited to the point where the story differs slightly from the original version. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Poetic and Moving
I first saw this movie in the Chinese theater in San Francisco and have since bought the video release. It's part romance, part comedy, and part sad truth about a familar human condition: Sometimes your greatest love is standing right next to you but your looking the other way at someone else. Two heros, one heroine and an illness that is cutting time short. If your a fan of Kelly Chen, or Takeshi Kaneshiro don't miss this beautiful story.

So Sweet
You know, I really liked this movie. Takeshi Kaneshiro is one of my favorite actors, so I might be a little biased but I thought that this was a wonderfully sweet story about finding love in the strangest places. Kelly Chen plays a the daughter of a wealthy man who owns ships? She is suffering from a sickness that she refuses to fully acknowledge, but while working on one of her father's ships, finds herself falling for one of the sailors, a half Irish, half Chinese sailor whose hometown holds the story of an almost enchanted burial ground. The sailor however disappears, without so much as a word, leaving Chen in a state of confusion as to whether or not this man was the only person who could help her through her situation. In comes Takeshi Kaneshiro, who plays 'Worm', a man who claims he can find anything and everything, and has built a business around it. Without any other options available to her Chen hooks up with Kaneshiro to find the Sailor...but if she finds him will she still have the same feelings? I thought this movie was enchanting, I am also a hopeless romantic. Within Kaneshiro's 'Lost and Found' business their are a variety of character's, a handicapped secretary, with what seems like a vicious mother and the children who play outside his door, not to mention others. This movie (which others may claim corny) tugged at my heart. I give it three stars to say that it's probably not the best movie you'll ever see, but I liked it enough to give it 5 stars and recommend it whole-heartedly. It's a must see for Takeshi fans. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A Moody Comic Noir Film
I bought this movie based on it's review in 'Hollywood East' by Stefan Hammond, expecting an off-kilter mix of genres, and I wasn't disappointed. Kaneshiro's glum, down on his luck character Mo is quite entertaining as he takes on a contract hit, then proceeds to gamble the money into a small fortune. He then seeks a way to farm out the actual hit, and meets his match in Carmen Lee's grunged out character. Stylishly shot, the film lingers on small details in the characters lives, giving us a good feeling for the depths of their despair, all the while building to the question of who will be forced to carry out the contract. Brief but gritty flashes of violence punctuate the film, as do several funny scenes, Mo's image-conscious use of an oversized mid-80's cell phone, for example. All set to a jazzy score, this film is a wonderful hybrid.

Wanted: script editor
The Odd One Dies is another film from Hong Kong's "doom generation" of film making, the 5-7 uneasy years leading up to the hand over of power to communist Chinese control. It is a fresh and occasionally funny film about small-time criminals that oozes with hopelessness, a sentiment representative of many citizens who could not leave Hong Kong. However, what keeps The Odd One Dies from being a completely depressing film like Wong Kar Wai's brooding crime dramas As Tears Go By or Days of Being Wild is Takeshi Kaneshiro, who despite the somber material, has an amazing comic presence (and the film's running joke involving severed fingers doesn't hurt either). The one major fault with The Odd One Dies is the story, which has some neat ideas but tends to meander and lose focus on many occasions.

A fun movie to watch, if you like Takeshi, and weird music.
I myself love Takeshi, and have seen alot of his movies so I know what kind of character he likes to play. His character in this movie can be so intense at one moment, yet child-like in the next, without saying one word. Carmen Lee's performance was down-played, but effective,and the extra characters gave comic relief to this picture that could otherwise have been a real depressing film. The music they use usually have the complete opposite feel as the scene before you, ex. an intense confrontation is accentuated with what sounds like music from a commercial geared for kids, yet it goes together so well. If your in the mood for something a little different, I would definately recommend seeing this movie for the laugh factor alone. ... Read more