Once upon a time in China: Warriors of the nation,
Warriors of the nation
Share1
Today we have for you all the review of another premiere that brought us exclusively the last Nits Oriental Cinema Festival: Once upon a time in China: Warriors of the nation, announced as the eighth official part of this saga of films dedicated to the figure of Wong Fei Hung and that began spectacularly Jet Li with direction of Tsui Hark, but that soon changed from protagonist to Vincent Zhao as soon as it was seen that the saga began to have more deliveries than expected. Although many versions of the story and the adventures of this character have been made (in fact, the last not very successful and almost all for the Chinese VOD market), it is assumed that it recovers the classic style of the saga.
Warriors of the nation
Wong Fei Hung
It all starts with a sect that is hogging many adherents (the White Lotus) and that worships a kind of woman / goddess who catches her followers with drugs. In addition to trying to disintegrate this sect because it is malicious and because it is harming the people, Wong Fei Hung is involved in another political issue, and those who were behind the sect are also developing a plan for the Japanese to enter the east. from China through a maritime invasion, which will be well justified through the contacts in the government that the villains have. Wong Fei will have her personal problems, since the head of the sect will turn out to be an old acquaintance who will interfere in her love life, but she will also help her disciples who will do all the field work, solving the simplest problems. In the end, as always, Wong Fei Hung will discover the plot and save the villagers who will help him in his final fight against the Japanese.
The truth is that the plot of the film has seemed a bit silly and typical, but what was not in the most classic martial arts cinema? This film, for us, is recovering the spirit of the kungfu movies of the '90s and the beginning of this saga that was devalued over time, yes, with the same style of narration and composition, but using much more modern techniques .
Warriors of the nation
Great martial arts scenes
Of course, almost everything is based on martial arts and fighting scenes, and the truth is that these are incredible, with a very classic style of cables, ultra fast movements, uncut scenes, etc. and with quality specialists to make everything as spectacular as possible.
As for the narration of the story, as in the oldest films, it will be only from scene to scene, to fill in the gaps left by the action scenes and simply to give some meaning to the whole, trying to introduce some politics and how good the Chinese are and how bad the Japanese are. Anyway, in the quietest scenes and dedicated to telling the plot, we will not have time to get bored, since it is one of those quick stories with many characters, which you get lost if you take a moment; Luckily, there is nothing essential to be able to follow the movie well.
The negative point of the film, as in many of its style, is to try to find a comic counterpoint for the protagonist, but not to do it in a discreet way and without forcing too much, but to get into the plot a cast of disciples each more stupid and duck than the previous one, but that together they manage to unravel some of the plots, causing us not to believe this falsehood even by now. Maybe for an absurd humor movie it would not have been bad, but here we have tired these characters a lot.
The truth is that the movie, before seeing it, was already backed by quality names, including Marco Mak (editor of the original saga, as well as other wonders such as Iron monkey, Swordsman 2, A Chinese ghost story 2 ...) and a Vincent Zhao (Wu dang, The White haired witch of lunar kingdom) in charge of starring in this saga since the fourth installment and that in the last year has already made 4 adaptations of the adventures of Wong Fei Hung.
In short, a perfect movie for lovers of martial arts movies of the '90s, with a somewhat silly and nationalistic plot, but with spectacular fights full of wiring and very well executed (including the mythical Shadowless kick hit by Wong Fei Hung ).
The best of the movie:
Very entertaining, fun guaranteed for kungfu lovers.
The worst of the movie:
No one understood the pixelated death wound in the final scene.
Warriors of the nation
Share1
Today we have for you all the review of another premiere that brought us exclusively the last Nits Oriental Cinema Festival: Once upon a time in China: Warriors of the nation, announced as the eighth official part of this saga of films dedicated to the figure of Wong Fei Hung and that began spectacularly Jet Li with direction of Tsui Hark, but that soon changed from protagonist to Vincent Zhao as soon as it was seen that the saga began to have more deliveries than expected. Although many versions of the story and the adventures of this character have been made (in fact, the last not very successful and almost all for the Chinese VOD market), it is assumed that it recovers the classic style of the saga.
Warriors of the nation
Wong Fei Hung
It all starts with a sect that is hogging many adherents (the White Lotus) and that worships a kind of woman / goddess who catches her followers with drugs. In addition to trying to disintegrate this sect because it is malicious and because it is harming the people, Wong Fei Hung is involved in another political issue, and those who were behind the sect are also developing a plan for the Japanese to enter the east. from China through a maritime invasion, which will be well justified through the contacts in the government that the villains have. Wong Fei will have her personal problems, since the head of the sect will turn out to be an old acquaintance who will interfere in her love life, but she will also help her disciples who will do all the field work, solving the simplest problems. In the end, as always, Wong Fei Hung will discover the plot and save the villagers who will help him in his final fight against the Japanese.
The truth is that the plot of the film has seemed a bit silly and typical, but what was not in the most classic martial arts cinema? This film, for us, is recovering the spirit of the kungfu movies of the '90s and the beginning of this saga that was devalued over time, yes, with the same style of narration and composition, but using much more modern techniques .
Warriors of the nation
Great martial arts scenes
Of course, almost everything is based on martial arts and fighting scenes, and the truth is that these are incredible, with a very classic style of cables, ultra fast movements, uncut scenes, etc. and with quality specialists to make everything as spectacular as possible.
As for the narration of the story, as in the oldest films, it will be only from scene to scene, to fill in the gaps left by the action scenes and simply to give some meaning to the whole, trying to introduce some politics and how good the Chinese are and how bad the Japanese are. Anyway, in the quietest scenes and dedicated to telling the plot, we will not have time to get bored, since it is one of those quick stories with many characters, which you get lost if you take a moment; Luckily, there is nothing essential to be able to follow the movie well.
The negative point of the film, as in many of its style, is to try to find a comic counterpoint for the protagonist, but not to do it in a discreet way and without forcing too much, but to get into the plot a cast of disciples each more stupid and duck than the previous one, but that together they manage to unravel some of the plots, causing us not to believe this falsehood even by now. Maybe for an absurd humor movie it would not have been bad, but here we have tired these characters a lot.
The truth is that the movie, before seeing it, was already backed by quality names, including Marco Mak (editor of the original saga, as well as other wonders such as Iron monkey, Swordsman 2, A Chinese ghost story 2 ...) and a Vincent Zhao (Wu dang, The White haired witch of lunar kingdom) in charge of starring in this saga since the fourth installment and that in the last year has already made 4 adaptations of the adventures of Wong Fei Hung.
In short, a perfect movie for lovers of martial arts movies of the '90s, with a somewhat silly and nationalistic plot, but with spectacular fights full of wiring and very well executed (including the mythical Shadowless kick hit by Wong Fei Hung ).
The best of the movie:
Very entertaining, fun guaranteed for kungfu lovers.
The worst of the movie:
No one understood the pixelated death wound in the final scene.