Zen of Sword 侠女传奇
The Middle Ages. One ruling dynasty replaces another in just a couple of years, and the deposed princess (Michelle Reis), together with her two generals (Cynthia Khan and Waise Lee), flee for their lives, carrying with them a diamond flute that legend says will bring wealth to whoever can unlock its secret. Fleeing the current warlike emperor (Shun Lau), they stumble upon a lost valley where another deposed royal dynasty lives, ruled by the heroine played by Kara Hui. She teaches her nephew (Lau Sek-Ming) the "nine sword stances," which are sure to bring their dynasty victory in the near future. But the crown prince falls in love with the wandering princess, and not only does his training take a back seat, but the princess is being pursued by royal troops who pose a serious threat to the quiet (for now) existence of this valley.
Impressions: One of Hong Kong cinema's rare misfires on the subject of swordsmen and the Middle Ages. Despite the fights being staged quite competently, though not entirely in the standard style, the real blunder lies in the plot and the direction. The story simply doesn't know which way it needs to turn at any given moment, and the director handles the actors very uncertainly, which ultimately leads to complete chaos within the film.
Don't think the film is as bad as I've made it out to be here. It has its merits, mainly in the cast. Another chance to see the quiet and gentle Michelle Reis, another opportunity to admire the energetic Cynthia Khan. I also liked Lau Sek-Ming in the lead role; it's just surprising that he acted so little. The only strange thing is the distribution of fight scenes among the characters. Kara Hui, for instance, never once deigns to show her skills, while Cynthia Khan gets to do so only a couple of times.
