Luscious Legend

Rating: 10/10 (15 February 2004)

Chinese myths and legends are perfect fodder for martial art masterpieces, and this legend is a wonderful story, which allows romance and action to combine well. This was at the time, the most expensive HK production in history, and it's easy to see why. Armies of extras, lavish sets and costumes, wonderfully chosen locations, and obvious excessive care and time taken with lighting make this just beautiful to watch. The combat sequences themselves are just as artistic to watch. Once again, a warning to those who just can't get into the mythos of Master's skill, and can't accept the possibility of "flying people". Go and watch a Hollywood film where the hero survives 500 rounds of bullets instead. For those who appreciate the beauty of said combats, these are a joy to watch. A combination of slow motion and real time, make the sequences mini dramas with in their very own. Acting, which is sometimes found lacking in such martial arts fare is surprising good, especially Broken Sword and the King of Qin. Using Yimou Zhang, who's known for his drama rather than action, really makes a huge difference to the performances, especially the actors, who are more martial arts than dramatic arts. Overall, a visually stunning film, that doesn't lake in many other aspects of the film, but truly only for those who appreciate such films, as it will just be too long and unacceptable for others.