Darker and lacking the antics normally associated with the kung fu master who fights best while drunk, "True Legend" features first-class choreography, brilliant wire-work and breathtaking visuals. "True Legend" was, according to director Yuen Wo Ping, supposed to be a return to authenticity in martial arts films, and while "authentic martial arts in film" is a wildly relative term, I'd say he succeeded admirably. The plot is told in such a way that it has two different parts, making it what seems like watching two movies at one sitting. The first part is spent establishing the characters and life for Su Chan before he loses everything, including his family and becoming a beggar in the now Sun Yat Sen area. While the first part is quite enjoyable, where Vincent Zhao showing off his skills that won’t disappoint you and the creepy looking Andy On that never fails to entertain you with just the right note; the second part, however, is little less impressive. The film moves along a fairly straight path, with a few twists thrown in here and there. It's solidly a genre film, but a very, very solid martial arts genre film. The acting is above average. Vincent Zhao surprisingly puts in an emotional performance that is very satisfying. The award-winning actress Zhou Xun once again puts up a class act for her role. Andy On's character is probably the most memorable. He makes quite an impression playing the chilling-looking villain with his expressions. Jay Chou also appears as God of Wushu and he's entertaining to watch, not only because his fancy costume. Michelle Yeoh, our queen of martial arts also makes a special appearance. The legendary Gordon Liu has a criminally small role, but at least he's on board, which is always a plus. The fight scenes here are truly breathtaking - they are brilliantly composed and shot, and deeply engrossing! Vincent Zhao is no longer young, but he still moves with grace and speed. But you're only as good as the people you're fighting. The quality of martial arts onscreen can generally be judged by the length of individual shots. The better the artist, the more moves they can execute before reaching the outside of their abilities. "True Legend" is highly entertaining 'wushu' extravaganza, with top-notch choreography, gripping story and stunning cinematography, and it's without a doubt a feast for lovers of martial arts movies.
- My Rating: 8.50/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: N/A
- IMDb: 6.2/10
2 comments:
I'm agree that this film is rich on the action but I think it's certainly not much of a movie about the biopic of Su Chan or even the philosophy behind the drunken fist.
Well, I think we've had enough of philosophy about the drunken fist or other kung fu styles through the years... The film is all about style, action and visuals.
I agree the story's not strong enough, but True Legend is absolutely spectacular in terms of entertainment, which is arguably the most important thing about a movie ;)
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