R E V I E W :   Swordsman II  (first review)

Reviewed 10/00 | Background | Movie Review | DVD Review | Recommendation

Movie: plot, performances, production, rating

Many times I enjoy being plunged into the midst of a HK movie without the slightest idea of what's going on. Sometimes I never figure out what's happening. Such was the case with Swordsman II. The problem for me was that the action was not terribly engaging and the characters lack any depth. This for me was the key deficiency. Because I couldn't figure out even the rudiments of the plot, I was completely lost without clearly-defined characters to care about. Lacking much in the way of emotion (even the humor seemed a bit cruel), it was difficult to care about the outcome. Jet Li never established his presence firmly as the lead -- he gets lost in the shuffle -- so the film doesn't even have a real protagonist. What is the point of his mission, anyway? Further, I understand the point of an ensemble cast, but not when everybody blends into the scenery.

On the other hand, the frenzied movement of bodies through the air serves as a terrific diversion. The filmmakers deserve credit for continual innovation in the action choreography. How do they get so many bodies to go flying through the air at the same time? And I suppose there had to have been much thought and planning behind the scenes -- I'm just too dense to figure out what the fuss was about.

DVD: look, sound, subtitles, and features

The print is horrible: there are many scratches and blotches. Black levels are inadequate. Much of the color scheme appears to be intentionally monochromatic: entire sequences are bathed in the burnt orange/yellow of candlelights and fire, or perhaps nighttime blue. Overall the colors contribute to a somber look.

The sound is limited to the center speaker with little for the surrounds or subwoofer to process. Widescreen (1:85), Cantonese/Mandarin DD 5.1 and DD 2.0 audio tracks, multilingual subtitles (traditional & simplified Chinese, English, Malaysian, Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, and Thai).

Also has "data bank" (just a brief synopsis and listing of main cast & crew), "best buy" (a trailer for Treasure Hunt, starring Chow Yun-Fat), and "original soundtrack" (a song sets to clips from the film wherein, incidentally, the film elements look better than those for the film itself).

Buy, rent, or pass?

Worth watching for the dazzling swordplay and the heady, intricate movement of many bodies in mid-air. Multiple replays may induce headaches, however. Definite rental material.

 

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