Director: Tsui Hark
Running Time: 118 mins
Certificate: 15
Release Date: October 29th 2012
Much of physics is based on the idea that the laws of gravity are constant across the universe and have been that ways since just after the Big Bang. However that would seem to be contradicted by the fact that for decades Wuxia movies have taught us that during the Imperial past, gravity was far less powerful in China, and people were able to leap about like they’ve just arrived on the moon. And now there’s CGI to make sure the martial art wire-fu masters’ anti-grav antics can make Newton spin ever faster in his grave.
However the over the top nature of wire-fu (and cg-fu) can actually be helpful as it’s exciting and often helps Western audiences to get into the often paper-thin yet pretty silly plots many of these films have (even if a lot are based on old Chinese stories). Flying Swords Of Dragon’s Gate also added 3D in cinemas, becoming one of the biggest homegrown hits ever at the Chinese box office, with many praising director Tsui Hark’s use of the extra dimension. However on DVD things are once more flattened down. So is it worth watching it without polarised 3D goodness? Yes, although some may find it pretty confusing and a little cartoony.
The film is a sequel/remake of Tsui Hark’s own 1992 movie New Dragon Gate Inn (which means that although technically set a few years after that film, the plot is very similar) and sees the Ming Dynasty being ripped apart by despotic eunuchs who are grabbing all the power they can and killing those who stand in their way. Zhao Gwai On (Jet Li) fights back against the eunuchs, but discovers a woman is going around pretending to be him, although he’s not too concerned as he knows who she is. She rescues a pregnant palace maid who’s been sentenced to death.
They all eventually end up at the Dragon Inn, a ramshackle hostelry out in the desert, where they come across various other groups who are waiting for an event where they believe a hidden palace full of gold will be revealed. As loyalties sway, Zhao must work out who he can trust and who he can’t, fight against one of the most evil of eunuchs (and his minions) and do as much spectacular martial arts as he can.
To be honest, the plot is overly complex and all over the place. The first three-quarters of an hour seem to be all about political power machinations surrounding the Imperial Palace, but then it suddenly becomes a bit more of a treasure hunt with a bunch of mismatched people forced to team up as a sandstorm bears down. It is pretty entertaining even if there is too much going on and it often gets a little bit confusing. The film also takes things right up to the edge of where things go from entertainingly OTT to the ridiculous, but thankfully it never quite trips over into outright nonsense.
I’m not entirely convinced by the amount of CG, as while the filmmakers have trumpeted that it’s done by the team who did Avatar, it’s nowhere near that quality and often looks rather like a cartoon. It’s also a bit of a shame, as one of the wonderful things about wire-fu is that although you know they’re attached to harnesses, it’s insanely clever and the sheer physicality is incredible to behold. But when you know it’s being augmented with CG it lessens some of that wonder. That said, the effects used to creature beautiful environments and to enhance the cinematography works extremely well, ensuring this is often a gorgeous movie to look at. And while I’d prefer less CGI, the fights are very good and quite often ingeniously choreographed.
Overall Verdict: A spectacular and fun Wuxia epic, even if it is over-plotted, slightly confusing, episodic and uses more CGI than it needs.
Reviewer: Tim Isaac
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