The Blade

I'm not quite sure where it went wrong with The Blade. On paper, I should have really liked this Tsui Hark production, but the film itself turned out to be a pretty big disappointment. It presents itself as a mid-90s update of a typical Shaw Bros narrative, something Hark should be able to pull off with his eyes closed, but I found the result to be quite meager.

A young swordfighter seeks out the killer of his father. When he has finally located him, a bloody battle ensues and the boy loses his arm in the fight. People believe he didn't survive the bout, but the boy is only temporarily retreating, learning himself how to fight properly with just the one arm. With his newfound skills, he hopes to avenge his father's death.

Hong Kong martial arts films are known for their spectacular choreographies and smart editing, and that's where The Blade failed for me. The action looks incredibly messy and random. The performances aren't that great either and the plot is as basic as it gets. I expected a lot more from Hark, who delivered quite a few great action films in his career. The Blade is one of his rare misfires.