The Storm Riders

One of Hong Kong's big fantasy/martial arts franchises. It's not an easy franchise to breach, as there is quite a lot of lore to cover, probably too much to condense in a single film. Hardcore fans may want to start with one of the TV series first, those who prefer to stick to films will find a good entry film in Andrew Lau's adaptation, especially if they have prior experience with this niche.

Cloud and Storm are two brothers who are raised by an evil lord. He murdered their parents when they were just infants and took them in, hoping to use their special powers in his quest to conquer the world. His plan fails when he drives the brothers apart and they find out about his intentions. Storm and Cloud vow to revenge their parents and stop the lord in his tracks.

The practical effects and action look great, the CG is a real eyesore though. Luckily, the fights get crazier and zanier as the film progresses, so at least the CG is pretty functional. The cast is top notch and the pacing is slick even though the runtime is quite long. Solid blockbuster entertainment is Lau's strong suit, The Storm Riders is a perfect example.