Woodyanders
Three brave and noble warriors form a group called the Dream Sword who travel across the countryside to vanquish all kinds of evildoers. The Dream Sword eventually create their own dynasty. Rival wicked clans join forces in order to defeat the Dream Sword. Director Chao-Yung Li, working from a complex and lively script by Hsiang Kin Chu, crafts an exciting, engrossing and opulent period martial arts action/adventure treat about betrayal and the thirst for power. Li stages the stirring and plentiful fight scenes with considerable rip-snorting brio and skill; the guy who wields a mean and deadly axe puts on an especially impressive display of furious bloodspilling carnage throughout. Moreover, our motley trio of protagonists are a genuinely colorful and likable bunch while the villains are suitably nasty and hateful (the cunning and deceitful beautiful lady with the bouquet of killer projectile flowers is a total pip!). The lavish set and costume designs give this picture a breathtakingly epic look. Ching Piao Yeh's handsome widescreen cinematography, the sound acting from a capable cast, and the lush, rich, thrilling orchestral score are all likewise excellent and effective. A fun flick.
