[Stefan's review of 14 Blades originally ran back in January and with the film now screening at Action Fest I've finally had a chance to see it myself and I've got to say I agree wholeheartedly. Overplotted and pretty clumsy in the narrative but WAY entertaining and loaded with stacks of fantastic set pieces. I'm not generally a fan of director Daniel Lee but this one was a good time from start to finish and sometimes that's enough.]
It's about time Donnie Yen made an impact yet again in the fantasy wuxia-pian genre, given the rather recent dismal films with Painted Skin (where he only had a supporting role), An Empress and the Warriors, and Tsui Hark's Seven Swords back in 2005. Most of us went ballistic with his more modern action roles ranging from SPL to Ip Man, and his 14 Blades character of Qing Long (Green Dragon, thanks to those mean looking tattoos adorned all over his upper torso) here looks quite set to become yet another memorable role similar to his morally ambiguous one in Bodyguards and Assassins.
The first few minutes of the film introduces us to the background of Qing Long and his army of bodyguards and assassins, the evil that lurks within the royal family and palace from eunuchs to an exiled prince (an extremely short cameo by Sammo Hung), and of course, the fabled 14 Blades. Unfortunately, we are told of the uniqueness and names of each blade, but never see all of them in action, coupled by the fact that they look quite generic. Only Qing Long is assigned this utility box containing the swords and lugs it everywhere ala El Mariachi's guitar case, and at his will can throw up the appropriate weapon to battle adversaries, including a set of grappling hooks!
Writer-director Daniel Lee managed to create a film consisting of a successful amalgamation of wuxia-pian elements, with iconic fight action sequences set in tea houses, desert duels, forest brawls with abandoned temples and exotic cities enhanced by CG to play host to a film complete with double crosses, a prized possession that everyone is after, and had time to sneak in unrequited romance. In some ways the film plays out like a Cowboy Western with its one man sheriff and an escort agency up against various bands of outlaws in endless desert filled land, with that theme of hope that they'll make it unscathed against changing odds, save the day and to ride off into the sunset with the damsel.
The story though gave way at the midway mark, where it clearly became nothing more than a stringing together of battles and one on one duels, which thankfully were still exciting to sit through, with none of the fast cut edits or crazy closeups that will make you cringe. With the introduction of Wu Chun as Judge, the leader of a brigade of bandits who has this cool boomerang double blade, and Kate Tsui in a role where she only grunts as loud as Maria Sharapova hitting a return volley, ample time got dedicated for one to mirror QIng Long's transformation and road to redemption, while the other, well, just serves to grunt a lot, in a get up that looks inspired by Medusa, and armed with a serpent sword-like-whip, and powers of CG stealth.
But underneath the fights, the flimsy storyline and gorgeous costumes, 14 Blades turns out to have an incredibly strong romance instead, with Vicky Zhao (her umpteenth period role straight) starring as Qiao Hua, daughter of the Justice Escort agency founder (played by veteran Wu Ma), enamoured by the manliness of the legendary leader of the Jin Yi Wei, since she grew up on fairy tales and harbouring the hopes that a fabled swordsman would one day save society from its evils. In a way her Qiao Hua exhibits the Stockholm Syndrome, being held captive against her wishes, but slowly being drawn romantically to her captive, even endangering herself (in a scene to provide comic relief) by willingly becoming his aide and pawn.
It's far from being the perfect film, especially with unbelievably incoherent flashbacks and the going overboard with explosions (of the RPG type), but Donnie Yen once again shows that when it comes to the fisticuffs, he still has a lot to offer, despite the story's potential that had it go off the blocks strongly, only to fizzle out before the end in a case of severe narrative burn-out.
More from 14 Blades
- Reviews: 14 BLADES: Review
- News: 14 Blades! This trailer is... slightly longer than the last one!
- News: Rocket Crossbows and Badass Tattoos, it's the New 錦衣衛 (14 Blades) Trailer!
- News: New Set of Posters for 錦衣衛 (14 Blades)
- News: How About 3 More Minutes of Action from 錦衣衛 (14 Blades)?
- News: First Look at Donnie Yen in 錦衣衛 (14 Blades) - Now With HD Teaser!
- Galleries: 14 Blades
- News: Promotional video for '14 Blades'
- News: A smack of conceptual art from '14 Blades' starring Donnie Yen!
[quote]The story though gave way at the midway mark, where it clearly became nothing more than a stringing together of battles and one on one duels, which thankfully were still exciting to sit through, with none of the fast cut edits or crazy closeups that will make you cringe.[/quote]
Sounds like a MAJOR change for Daniel Lee. Gotta see this now!
"starring as Qiao Hua, daughter of the Justice Escort agency founder"
Justice Escort agency ... heh heh
Your calling 7 Swords "dismal", and then go on to say SPL is great? Are you crazy? you've got it completely backwards.
7 Swords had a great villain, awesome battles, and the return of Lau Kar Leung. The first third of the movie was poor, but SPL just SUCKED.
I,m a big fan of Donnie but I'd have to say that 7 swords was not what I expected and I was more than a little disappointed. S.P.L. on the other had was had Wu Jing and Sammo hung and some insanely choreographed fights. 14 Blades left me wishing there was just one more fight scene between him and Sammo Hung but still a very good film. Donnie is back n a roll. Although it can't be compared with Ip Man it was still a very good Wuxia film. I just wish he and Sammo Hung had squared off again.
I was a bit put off by the concept of the 14 blades at first - it seemed a really cumbersome weapon, but Donnie Yen made it work so well (it really is like the Mariachi guitar-cases in Desperado in that respect). For once I enjoyed some wire-fu, which had the energy and urgency of proper 90's efforts like Tai Chi Master and Moon Warriors, and wasn't over-used.
To me it kind of felt like a greatest hits of the Golden Harvest era only pumped up on steroids with everything pushed out to near superhero proportions. And it totally knew it, too, which is what made it work.
Haha.I disagree with you.
SPL is obviously better than 14 blades because of absence of action diector Sammo.IP man is a great movie in recent 10 years.I am looking forward to IP man 2.....