06.11.06
SIFF 2006, day 17
Shinobi: Heart of Blade
Japan
In hopes of ending centuries of feuding, two warring Samurai clans choose their top warriors—including two star-crossed lovers—to duke it out in a final, no-holds-barred battle. ROMEO AND JULIET goes blissfully chop-socky gonzo, featuring ninjas as far as the eye can see.
I don’t think the people writing the blurbs have actually seen the movies. This? This is X-Men in feudal Japan, and no I’m not really joking. Yeah, there’s a R+J vibe in there too, but it’s ultimately less of a presence than everybody’s freaky powers and all the fighting.
I actually enjoyed this quite a lot once I realized it wasn’t, as I’d expected (since all I’m reading is the blurbs), a serious swordfighting drama. The CGI is questionable and it’s sometimes silly, but I found some good solid entertainment in it. It’s very nice to look at (and not just the backgrounds; I much liked the pretty boy in black with the loooooooong sleeves); the fight sequences are fun, and the freaky powers are an interesting assortment that make for lots of entertainment. It moves briskly and is just the right length. A great way to spend some time on a Sunday afternoon.
Seven Swords
Hong Kong
From HK action king Tsui Hark (PEKING OPERA BLUES), this lush period piece sees a village beset by a cruel military official. Realizing they’ll need help if their community is to survive, two young men set off in search of Master Shadow-Glow atop the mystical Mount Heaven.
What happened to the Tsui Hark who made Peking Opera Blues and Time and Tide? The one who made the dreary, colorless The Blade is the same one who made this film, and I fear that’s the Tsui Hark we’re now stuck with it.
This isn’t a bad film, necessarily. But there are way too many plot threads, almost no humor and a rather grim, overly-somber tone, as well as a surfeit of artsy camerawork and lighting that serves mainly to obscure the fight sequences. Its pleasures come almost entirely from the cast; there is almost no circumstance where the presence of Donnie Yen or Lau Kar-Leung (who I didn’t even know was still alive!) doesn’t bring some enjoyment to a film, and the rest of the cast was nice to watch as well. I also liked the costuming (particularly the “ghost army” in their grim, spiky black armor and white-and-black makeup–who’d have expected an army of goths in ancient China?) and the locations. As for the fighting, well, it was good when it wasn’t heavily shadowed and quick-cut. The film is also quite a bit longer than it needs to be (something that might not have registered so strongly if I hadn’t seen it right after the economical Shinobi). I certainly don’t regret having seen this. However, a good wuxia film should leave me exhilarated and kinetic. This mostly left me drained and wishing it had been more exhilarating.