The Blade

Director: Tsui Hark Tsui Hark

Overview

Siu-ling dreams of being courted by brave apprentice Ding On. When a bandit kidnaps Siu-ling, Ding On launches a courageous one-man rescue attempt to save her which results in the loss of his right arm. Ding then begins training himself again for the final battle.

Product Details

Release Date:	03/01/2016
UPC:	0888574114527
Original Release:	1995
Rating:	NR
Source:	Warner Archives
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Language:	English
Time:	1:46:00
Sales rank:	33,181

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Zhao Wenzhou	On
Xiong Xinxin	Lung
Valerie Chow	Courtesan
Song Nei	Siu-ling
Fiona Gubelmann	Christine McCullers
John Lee Ames	Kyle
Scott Broderick	Chairman
Chiu Cheuk	Actor
Xin Xin Xiong	Actor
Cole Edwards	Stevie
Barbara Kerford	Dustin's Mom
Heather Mazur	Cortez

Technical Credits

Koan Hui

Man-sing So

Tsui Hark	Director
Koan Hui	Screenwriter
Raymond Chow	Producer
Man-sing So	Screenwriter

Editorial Reviews

This swordplay epic -- an update of the early martial arts classic The One-Armed Swordsman -- has style to burn, but is a bit too ambitious for its own good. It's main problem is an overloaded script; subplots concerning a romantic triangle and the way females view males overwhelm the revenge tale at the heart of the story instead of fleshing it out. As a result, The Blade's story never manages to establish a comfortable rhythm or coherent story flow because it constantly shifts gears and exchanges one plot thread or theme for another. This makes getting through the film a sometimes trying experience, but The Blade offers some rewards for the patient viewer. Man Cheuk Chiu handles his transformation from impetuous youth to single-minded killing machine with skill and Tsui Hark's willingness to experiment with the genre's rules (a female character as a narrator, avoiding wirework trickery in favor of brutally realistic fights) is quite pleasing. Best of all, The Blade is full of stunning swordplay set pieces, including a terrifying nocturnal fight in a large bamboo structure that is soon decimated by slashing swords and the scene where Ding On first tests out of his self-created "spinning blade" fighting technique. All in all, The Blade is a bit too experimental and unfocused for the casual action fan, but has enough solid action and intriguing stylistic flourishes to please the hardcore Hong Kong film fan.