Pretty pictures, slow narrative, hideous fight scenes.

Rating: 6/10 (2 September 2004)

Hong Kong films have produced such truly exciting fight scenes without resorting to cheesy gimmics (see movies starring Feng Shu, for example)that it is a terrible shame that American audiences are now patronized with the worst clichés from a 50 year old industry.
This movie has some clever plot twists and a great deal of spectacular photography. However it moves very slowly and, as noted above, has only the worst of Hong Kong cinema's martial arts choreography. In addition, the unnamed protagonist, remains so "inscrutable" that it is difficult to find oneself terribly concerned with his fate.
If one were to judge from this movie, one would believe that Chinese films are turning Japanese.