Seven Swords — movie review
What is it about the number seven that makes for a successful action tale? Take for example Seven Samurai and its remake, The Magnificent Seven, Seven Years in Tibet… Okay, maybe not that last one. Part Seven Samurai, part Lord of the Rings, Seven Swords, the opening film of the 62nd Venice International Film Festival, is an epic tale of good versus evil in the most hopeless of times. At a surprisingly breezy 151 minutes, Seven Swords is jam packed with stunning imagery and heroic deeds. It is easily one of Tsui Hark’s best films. Ever.
Fearing a potential assassination, the Emperor of China has outlawed all martial arts. A bounty is levied on the heads of all practitioners, and execution squads are sent to work. As the countryside runs red with the blood of innocents, one man, a former executioner for the emperor, manages to escape the clutches of the medieval Gestapo. Making his way to a town of Wu Xia masters, he warns of their impending destruction, and informs them that their only hope for survival lies with four legendary swordsmen who live atop Mount Heaven. Accompanied by two martial artists from town, the man makes his way to Mount Heaven, and the three become seven. The battle for the town and the future of martial arts begins.
Though stunningly photographed, and the gripping story of virtuous warriors lyrically portrayed, there is no art house, wannabe-Crouching-Tiger-pretense to be found in any frame of this film. Seven Swords has no aspirations to be anything other than what it is: a truly kick ass martial arts film. And when I say martial arts, I mean martial arts. Wire work takes a back seat to glorious, practical hand to hand and weapons combat. Both violent and beautiful, the go for broke fight choreography is some of the best I’ve seen since the Tai Chi Master. Furthermore, Seven Swords is the best and bloodiest wu xia epic I’ve seen since Bride with White Hair.
Keeping with the ultimate good battles ultimate evil aspect of most classic wuxia tales, the evil execution squads are extremely fierce, making the orcs of Lord of the Rings look quite tame in comparison. Led by the sadistic Kualo (Chen Jiajia), a paradox in the fact she is uglier than Lucy Liu yet still strongly alluring, these pasty pale soldiers take no prisoners. Armed to the teeth with amazing technological advances in weaponry; devices crafted solely for relieving people of their heads, they make quick work of all comers. Some of these apparatuses range from swirling umbrella noggin snatchers to classic hoops with saw teeth, a la Master of the Flying Guillotine.
In sharp contrast to the technological reliance of the baddies, and much to the surprise of Fire Wind, the enemy leader, the Seven Swords of the title are the weapons of choice for the righteous warriors. Mind you, these are considered simple by Fire Wind, but are actually the kind of modular swords IKEA would make if only they had a market for “knives and stabbing weapons,” re-configurable into any number of deadly variations. Some split in half to make two swords, and others can be cast out and retrieved much like a yo-yo. Some summon cutting wind attacks, and others slice through the even the strongest of chains. In the hands of such famous martial artists as Donnie Yen and Chai-Liang Liu they prove even more amazing.
Much like the Seven Samurai, no particular performance stands out above the others, nor one fighter’s skill over another. All are quite good, whether viewing that of the mousy Charlie Yeung, the quiet determination of Leon Lai, the tortured presence of Donnie yen, or the spry snarkiness of Chai Liang Liu. This is essential in a film such as this, as the absence of showboating allows the team to function on screen as it should. Seven swords is not only one of Tsui Hark’s best films, but one of the best films of 2005.
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