A pleasant surprise.

Rating: 8/10 (20 July 2014)

I was expecting a dumb martial film but got something much better.
This is an intelligent film covering the difficulty of maintain personal integrity against economic pressures and then moving into the difficulty of life during military occupation.
The cast all deliver good performances, everyone is believable and convincing.
The plot is compelling especially after the Japanese occupation begins, the real life elements give it more punch.
There are moments of sadness and a few surprises.
The martial arts is a little disjointed, sometimes a bit silly and over done and at others times simple and brutal, this inconsistent approach is a bit of a weakness in a heavily martial arts based film.
A times it feels preachy and jingoistic but never for long.
A surprisingly good film.