Seven Swords Movie Review

Hong Kong 2005
Director: Tsui Hark
Cast: Donnie Yen, Leon Lai, Sun Hong-Lei, Liu Chia-Liang
Release Date: July 25th 2005
Distributor: Weinstein Company

Review of the Movie

Tsui Hark the martial arts movie-guru is back. He is now bringing the tale of the Seven Swordsmen who possess Seven Extraordinary (Cool!) Swords with Seven Different Fighting Styles.

The new dynasty Qing of China has issued an edict that all form of martial arts is forbidden and whoever argues it will pay the consequences. A group of mercenaries has taken the edict too far and they are going on a hunt not just for people who practice martial arts but for children and senior citizens as well for the sake of gold they will get for each head they present.


SEVEN SWORDS
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The final hope of all martial arts practitioners is the Martial Village which refuses and fights these mercs, but outnumbered and out-powered, three of them seek help of the Sword master who lives high up at the mountain. The swords master sends four of his disciples to help the village dwellers and gives the three emissaries 3 distinguished swords, thus makes them "the Seven Swordsmen". A new hope arrives on time as the seven swordsmen show their prowess and unmatchable swords. Nevertheless their struggle is far from over for these mercs have a leader named Wind Fire (Sun Hong-Lei) who lives in a secluded fortress and has great martial arts ability matched only by his cruelty.

The Seven Swords still retains the generic martial arts movie traits. In short, it's good and awesome in the fighting scenes and moves but lacks in other aspects. For example Wind Fire character is trying too hard to be wicked; instead his personality makes him simply like a lunatic instead of evil. There is a romance; however this little romance is somehow put only as an obligatory love scene in every epic movie. And the musical score...there is only one that is really moving, but the rest of the scene if not filled with not-so-moving scores or just plain ambient sound. The whole thing is added with the running time of this movie that's lengthy and sometimes packed also with unimportant and uninteresting scenes, whereas the storyline is actually very very interesting.

Despite all that, the fighting scenes with 7 different swords are still breathtaking, Donnie Yen once again proves his fighting skill along with other actors and actresses plus several shots of the silhouettes of the Seven Swordsmen riding their horses are beautiful.

Simply put, if you don't mind other aspects and care only for its great fighting scenes, then slash your wallet and watch this movie. If you do fond of it, rejoice, since it's expected there will be a sequel or more as The Seven Swords is originally based on Liang Yusheng's novel that is quite lengthy.

© iwan pranowo of Movielogy.com