You know it's going to be a wild ride when bodies are being chopped in half five seconds into the film. The manic pace of this film never lets up, the assault of flashing swords, flying bodies, snakes, needles, throwing stars, whips, needles and kitchen sinks (all right, not really, but I think you get my point) is almost too much to absorb all in one sitting. But what really makes the film is the striking performance by Brigitte Lin as the villain. She's fast becoming my favourite HK actress, and her wicked performance here is a big reason why. Her character is so captivating that the next "Swordsman" film was apparently centered around her character. The only letdown is that for the bulk of the film, she's dubbed (with a male voice), but since that's integral to the plot, I'll let it slide. For fans of HK fantasy/action films, this is very much worth your while.
31 Reviews
Swordsman 2: the lesser of two evils
unbrokenmetal30 January 2009
Ling Wu Chung (Jet Li) is a great young swordsman with a big problem: the question on which side he shall fight means only choosing the lesser of two evils. On one hand, there is master Wu (Shi-Kwan Yen) who became mad during his imprisonment. Ling frees him from the prison, but does not wish to support Wu's cruel and merciless vengeance afterwards. On the other hand, there is Asia (Brigitte Lin), a wicked, mysterious woman of great beauty who hides many secrets from Ling and cannot be trusted. The movie has many wild, over the top action scenes from the director of "Chinese Ghost Story", but it was impossible to find a happy ending for it. Along with the sad music, visual beauty and spectacular effects, without a doubt a classic of its genre in the 1990s. My only little grudge is that the characters in the first Swordsman movie were more sympathetic than here in the sequel.
Nifty little martial arts film that has some great supernatural elements, with a good story and solid fight scenes!
callanvass31 January 2006
Warning: Spoilers
This is a nifty little martial arts film, that has some great supernatural elements, with a good story and solid fight scenes!. All the characters are cool, and extremely likable, plus Jet Li is simply amazing in this!. It was cool to see Jet in a different type of film, and I thought the fight choreography was just great, plus it's very bloody and violent as well. It's very well made and written and I thought Brigitte Lin was quite menacing as the main villain, plus while I thought Yee Kwan Yan was a bit too OTT as the psycho Master Wu,but he still gave me the creeps especially near the end!. Jet and Michelle Reis had great chemistry together once more, and I thought Jet's obsession with his wine bottle was quite funny, however the dubbing was bad as usual. This deserves it's 7.4 rating, and I thought the ending was really cool, plus Rosamund Kwan had a great and very mysterious character!. The final fight is extremely good, and it had some cool emotional moments as well, plus I loved Wu's evil laugh!. This is a nifty little martial arts film that has some great supernatural elements, with a good story and solid fight scenes, I highly recommend this one!. The Direction is great. Siu-Tung Ching and Stanley Tong both do a great job here with very good camera work, excellent angles and keeping the film at a very fast pace. The Acting is very good!. Jet Li is amazing as always and is amazing here, he is extremely likable, funny, had a great sense of humor as always, had plenty of charisma, kicked that ass, it's just too bad his dubbing sucked, his chemistry with Reis was also on! (Jet Rules!!!!!). Brigitte Lin is great as the evil Asia, she was quite sexy and was wonderfully evil, she played the perfect villain, I loved her!. Michelle Reis is extremely cute, and does the same sort of thing worked so well in Legend 1&2, she's wonderfully perky and just plain adorable!. Rosamund Kwan is very classy and played a cool part here, I liked her lots. Yee Kwan Yan is a bit too OTT at times, but he still gave me the creeps, as he was quite menacing as Master Wu, I also loved his evil laugh!. Rest of the cast do fine. Overall I highly recommend this one!. ***1/2 out of 5 almost a (****).
The best wuxia film of the 90's.
mjer1234 October 2003
This is no doubt the best wuxia film of the 90's. The costume, fight scenes and compelling cast all add up to an excellent and engrossing film. The story revolves around swordsman Ling Wu Chung (Jet Li) who on his way to retreat from the martial arts world, having to rescue a kidnapped leader of the Sun Moon Sect and confronting the powerful Asia, a person who have master an invincible form of martial arts, but at a terrible price. Yes, the plot is complex but is far more interesting than the simple and cliche "you kill my master, I want revenge" plot we get from some other martial arts films. The brillant colours and thrilling action scenes are also well-made and serves to grab and hold the attention of the audience until the very end of the film. All in all, a superb film. Those who thought "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" was the best martial arts will have to see this film.
First sneak in America- weird yet exciting
Quinoa198424 April 2001
(in full disclosure, I wrote this when I was a dumb 17 year old, I remember enjoying the movie and recommend it, so that's all that counts): Tonight I saw this movie, a unusual Chinese action movie with a plot about a guy who has a sister and brothers and they get entangled up with fighting people who want to take over China. That is pretty much the basic plot that I could follow. The rest of the movie consists of action scenes that may or may not have been sliced off of the deleted footage of The Kentucky Fried Movie and the sound effects sound like bites from he Crippled Masters. Still, it is consistently entertaining in parts, even if it is unintentionally funny in a lot of parts (the fighters say they're move before they do it in street fighter Super Nintendo style, and the brothers have nicknames like scumbag and smart ass). Li is also pretty good, even if the whole sum of the movie might be a tad lowered. Biggest flaw though, at least for myself, was that not only was there no dubbing, but the Chinese sometimes didn't match the mouths! Oh well, it's worth it. B
deep, moving, exciting...
rrrbloom200022 September 2008
many of the previous comments have cited this film as one the best in the martial arts genre. i think there's a little more to it. this film articulates one of the central philosophical questions of the Chinese tradition: withdrawal from the world vs. facing the world. it is a theme featured in all of china's great philosophers, Lao-Tze, Zhuang-Tze, Confucious, and as well as its great poets and artists. it is also, arguably, the central question of Chinese Buddhism.
recall that the film premises on the withdrawal of Jet Li's character and his clan from the world of martial arts (the uniquely Chinese, "Jiang-Hu"). they were tired of the constant battles and blood-shed. "Ox-back Mountain" was, for them, the idyllic place to escape the bitterness of the world. the events of the movie--Jet Li's involvement with Ying Ying, the rescue of Ren Woxing, the appearance of Dong Fang Bu Bai, the brutal slaughter of the Hua Mountain clan--all serve to problem's the possibility of exiting the world.
Linghu Chong's (Jet Li's) conversation with Ren Woxing captures this conflict in these immortal words (my translation): "you (Linghu Chong) know so little about the world. when there is people, there is hatred and resentment, and when there is hatred and resentment, there is Jiang Hu (the world)." this is a pessimistic view of the world, but one that rightly argues for the importance of resentment in the order of the world. moreover, unlike most films that fall into this trap, the Swordsman II does not posit love as a force of reconstitution and re-ordering; love only complicates things...
recall that the film premises on the withdrawal of Jet Li's character and his clan from the world of martial arts (the uniquely Chinese, "Jiang-Hu"). they were tired of the constant battles and blood-shed. "Ox-back Mountain" was, for them, the idyllic place to escape the bitterness of the world. the events of the movie--Jet Li's involvement with Ying Ying, the rescue of Ren Woxing, the appearance of Dong Fang Bu Bai, the brutal slaughter of the Hua Mountain clan--all serve to problem's the possibility of exiting the world.
Linghu Chong's (Jet Li's) conversation with Ren Woxing captures this conflict in these immortal words (my translation): "you (Linghu Chong) know so little about the world. when there is people, there is hatred and resentment, and when there is hatred and resentment, there is Jiang Hu (the world)." this is a pessimistic view of the world, but one that rightly argues for the importance of resentment in the order of the world. moreover, unlike most films that fall into this trap, the Swordsman II does not posit love as a force of reconstitution and re-ordering; love only complicates things...
One version of a famous novel
popularlibrary24 September 2005
This film is clearly based on the same novel which has produced several other versions, notably two which were done as multi-episode television programs. The earlier, from the 1980s, starred Chow Yun-fat as Ling-hu Chong (as the name is given in most versions), and ran at 20 episodes. I have not seen this, though it has an excellent reputation, but the more recent version, shown in China in 2000, ran for 40 episodes, and was shown recently in the US on the AZN cable station under the title Laughing in the Wind. The first half of the series will be available on DVD soon. It was a superb piece of work, strikingly photographed, brilliantly choreographed, and, more importantly, written and acted with a depth and subtlety that did full justice to its possibilities.
This version with Jet Li has many excellent qualities, but the limited running time necessary for a theatrical film, plus the unnecessary addition of the Japanese story, robbed it of the ability to develop the psychologically and dramatically fascinating story to anything like its real potential. (I can't see the smallest relation to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, which it seems to me is an entirely different kind of story.) For a Jet Li fan, this is one of his more interesting films, but anyone interested in the adaptation of this classic novel into a truly superior dramatic version should seek out Laughing in the Wind.
This version with Jet Li has many excellent qualities, but the limited running time necessary for a theatrical film, plus the unnecessary addition of the Japanese story, robbed it of the ability to develop the psychologically and dramatically fascinating story to anything like its real potential. (I can't see the smallest relation to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, which it seems to me is an entirely different kind of story.) For a Jet Li fan, this is one of his more interesting films, but anyone interested in the adaptation of this classic novel into a truly superior dramatic version should seek out Laughing in the Wind.
Ching Siu Tung, Jet Li, Brigitte Lin, and more exploding bodies than you've ever seen.
iaido25 February 2000
Warning: Spoilers
Swordsman 2 begins with Brigitte Lin as Asia the Invincible flying through the air and, with greater ease than it takes most people to put on their socks, ripping off a rivals head. That pretty much sets the fast and furious tone of one great adventure. In the first thirty minutes of Swordsman 2, we see characters flying, running across the top of wheat stalks, horses and people getting ripped in two, scorpion fu, snake charming fu, and ninjas that glide across the air on big shurikens as they battle. Ching Siu Tung's wacked out imagination is in top form as he packs every fight with his signature inventiveness. Swordsman 2, Executioners, Chinese Ghost Story 1&2, ect. are jammed with delightful trickery and steady pacing that wont leave the viewer bored.
Brigitte Lin plays one of kung fu filmdoms greatest villains, Asia the Invincible, who gave up his manhood in order to become the most powerful figure in the martial world. In the hands of Asia, a needle and thread, or even a drop of water, becomes a deadly weapon. Jet Li is charming as the jovial, drunk, womanizing Ling. The rest of the cast is great too, but it is Lin and Jet, who command the film.
Easygoing Ling and his Wa Mt. students rendezvous with their friends in the Sun Moon Sect (friends with names like Black Tooth, Smart Ass, and Scum Bag), but find that the clan has been overtaken by Asia's Highlander Clan, witch is aided by some nasty Japanese ninjas. Ling and his cohorts help their friends, though Ling is largely indifferent and would sooner give up the martial world for a life at the bottom of a jug of wine. Ling encounters Asia, but through a combination of his drunken state ,hormones, and Asia's feminine features, believes Asia to be a woman. Asia uses this to his/her advantage and, eventually, Ling is captured, conveniently put in the dungeon where the Sects leader, Master Wu, has been imprisoned. Ling and Master Wu bust out, and Master Wu's powers, that have been diminished because he has been skewered and hung on two burly hooks, are regained through his Essence-Absorbing Stance. Reunited with his clan and using the hooks that imprisoned him as weapons, Master Wu is bent on revenge against Asia. Ling is, yet again, taken away and tricked by Asia, and returns to the Sect only to find almost everyone killed. Master Wu, Ling, and the three remaining members face off against Asia, but they find a hollow victory because Master Wu has gone insane and become just as drunk with power as Asia.
Ching Siu Tungs world is a wild one. Seems like everyone can fly. Swordsman who split trees in half, spin their swords like blender blades, etc. The flick of a finger can cause instant paralysis. Characters rip up the ground and use it as a shield, or summon dust clouds and blow thier opponents away. Swords, whips, beads of water, and even glances can quickly tear an adversary to pieces. And, it all comes about with natural ease. It is pure fantasy, never forced, and it is why his world of action can be so much more interesting than any other. Traditional kung fu is great too, but every now and then, its nice to see some outlandish, supernatural fu that will have your jaw dropping to floor.
Brigitte Lin plays one of kung fu filmdoms greatest villains, Asia the Invincible, who gave up his manhood in order to become the most powerful figure in the martial world. In the hands of Asia, a needle and thread, or even a drop of water, becomes a deadly weapon. Jet Li is charming as the jovial, drunk, womanizing Ling. The rest of the cast is great too, but it is Lin and Jet, who command the film.
Easygoing Ling and his Wa Mt. students rendezvous with their friends in the Sun Moon Sect (friends with names like Black Tooth, Smart Ass, and Scum Bag), but find that the clan has been overtaken by Asia's Highlander Clan, witch is aided by some nasty Japanese ninjas. Ling and his cohorts help their friends, though Ling is largely indifferent and would sooner give up the martial world for a life at the bottom of a jug of wine. Ling encounters Asia, but through a combination of his drunken state ,hormones, and Asia's feminine features, believes Asia to be a woman. Asia uses this to his/her advantage and, eventually, Ling is captured, conveniently put in the dungeon where the Sects leader, Master Wu, has been imprisoned. Ling and Master Wu bust out, and Master Wu's powers, that have been diminished because he has been skewered and hung on two burly hooks, are regained through his Essence-Absorbing Stance. Reunited with his clan and using the hooks that imprisoned him as weapons, Master Wu is bent on revenge against Asia. Ling is, yet again, taken away and tricked by Asia, and returns to the Sect only to find almost everyone killed. Master Wu, Ling, and the three remaining members face off against Asia, but they find a hollow victory because Master Wu has gone insane and become just as drunk with power as Asia.
Ching Siu Tungs world is a wild one. Seems like everyone can fly. Swordsman who split trees in half, spin their swords like blender blades, etc. The flick of a finger can cause instant paralysis. Characters rip up the ground and use it as a shield, or summon dust clouds and blow thier opponents away. Swords, whips, beads of water, and even glances can quickly tear an adversary to pieces. And, it all comes about with natural ease. It is pure fantasy, never forced, and it is why his world of action can be so much more interesting than any other. Traditional kung fu is great too, but every now and then, its nice to see some outlandish, supernatural fu that will have your jaw dropping to floor.
Prequel to 'Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon'
dromasca10 January 2004
I finished to be less sorry for the time spent on seeing this film than I anticipated. If you want to see where 'Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon' and some of the fight effects in the 'Matrix' series come from 'Swordsman 2' is certainly one of the original sources. It is not a bad film at all, there is good camera work all over, characters have structure and are different one from the other (even for an Asian film seen by European eyes) and all seems authentic - but I know little about the history of the area in the past times, unfortunately. It still looks naive and confusing sometimes, but compared to many of the Hollywood 'legends' recently, maybe this is not so bad either. 7/10 on my personal scale.
Best of genre
inanna513 April 2000
If you only see one movie from Hong Kong, look no further. This one packed the best of all that kept HK's movie industry at the forefront of the action/ martial arts genre. The androgynous leading role also revived veteran actress Brigitte Lin's career, launching scores of other copycats casting her in such roles. She completely overshadows everyone else, despite the star-studded cast (incl Jet Li). The action sequences were stunning and kudos also for the meticulous costume-design and music score - a classic!
A bit of a disappointment
sarastro79 November 2004
People seem to be divided into two groups about this movie. Those who think it's amazing and groundbreaking, and those who think it's vastly overrated. I fall somewhere in between, tending towards the "overrated". I have watched a lot of kung fu movies lately, and this one, from 1991, is nowhere near groundbreaking. No one who's watched the good stuff from the '60s and '70s can claim that there is much originality in Swordsman II.
This movie disappointed me because it was too ridiculous. Admittedly, it was also quite funny, and I don't mind supernatural kung fu. But the story and the effects never really worked that well, and as someone else has pointed out, the English subtitles are really, really terrible.
So on a scale from one to ten, I can only give this movie a 5, but I will raise that to 6 because of the attractive women in it. Not only Brigitte Lin, but Rosamund Kwan and especially Michelle Reis (who's got some great fight scenes here, unlike in Fong Sai Yuk, where she was just helpless) are a big bonus for this movie, and makes it well worth watching.
Thus: 6 out of 10.
This movie disappointed me because it was too ridiculous. Admittedly, it was also quite funny, and I don't mind supernatural kung fu. But the story and the effects never really worked that well, and as someone else has pointed out, the English subtitles are really, really terrible.
So on a scale from one to ten, I can only give this movie a 5, but I will raise that to 6 because of the attractive women in it. Not only Brigitte Lin, but Rosamund Kwan and especially Michelle Reis (who's got some great fight scenes here, unlike in Fong Sai Yuk, where she was just helpless) are a big bonus for this movie, and makes it well worth watching.
Thus: 6 out of 10.
I completely obsessed to this one
Snapesnape5 July 2000
Having been a big fan of Hong-kong fantasy action movies(chinese ghost story 1,2,3..and etc..) especially I completely captivated by this one. When I first saw this movie, I was only 14. this movie was brought a great popularity and main stars Brigitte Lin and Jet li became household name in here, South Korea. I still remember when these two stars visited here to promote, Brigitte Lin had to escaped from being run over by her fans in Korea.
She plays "Asia the invincible" who's gave up his manly symbol to become the best sword man. Jet li plays another great sword man who's pure, sincere to his belief. On the way to find his men, came across "Asia the invincible" several times. although "Asia the invincible" is a villain who's so brutal when he eliminates his enemy, starts attracted to Jet li. and Jet li does too.
But the development relationship between Jet li and "Asia the invincible" can hardly describe. actually both of them are men. It can be called "Homosexual interest". but it doesn't a big deal. In fact I think this made this movie more unique, and sensual, joyful to watch.
Striking, powerful performance by Brigitte. she had been my idol for years. it's a really pity that she had disappear from the screen after getting married. it's a role really hard to play. but she's charismatic enough to command the whole movie. her last scene still haunting me. can't believe she was almost 40 when she did shoot this one.
The early Jet li so cute, and I really admire his martial arts skills( although most of his martial arts here are computer-generated or wire actions ) I can't count how many times I've seen this movie. action sequences so beautiful and stunning. See this movie. it will be unusual experience!!!
She plays "Asia the invincible" who's gave up his manly symbol to become the best sword man. Jet li plays another great sword man who's pure, sincere to his belief. On the way to find his men, came across "Asia the invincible" several times. although "Asia the invincible" is a villain who's so brutal when he eliminates his enemy, starts attracted to Jet li. and Jet li does too.
But the development relationship between Jet li and "Asia the invincible" can hardly describe. actually both of them are men. It can be called "Homosexual interest". but it doesn't a big deal. In fact I think this made this movie more unique, and sensual, joyful to watch.
Striking, powerful performance by Brigitte. she had been my idol for years. it's a really pity that she had disappear from the screen after getting married. it's a role really hard to play. but she's charismatic enough to command the whole movie. her last scene still haunting me. can't believe she was almost 40 when she did shoot this one.
The early Jet li so cute, and I really admire his martial arts skills( although most of his martial arts here are computer-generated or wire actions ) I can't count how many times I've seen this movie. action sequences so beautiful and stunning. See this movie. it will be unusual experience!!!
Not affilated with the first Swordsman movie except by name
jordondave-2808521 July 2023
(1992) Swordsman II
(In Chinese with English subtitles)
ACTION
Full of big name Chinese stars from the likes of Jet Li, Rosamond Kwan, Jacky Cheung and Hong Kong actress veteran Brigitte Lin follows a mythical tale about ruling powers within' China. Full of wire- fu effects, and not so much a fan of those either but plenty of sword fights and beheading's (looks fake, of course), back stabbers and betrayals and some comedy relief. Similar to what one can find on one of those long Chinese soap opera films except that it's all crammed into a film. The other thing I like about this film is that it's not all serious as say "Crouching Tiger and Hidden Dragon" or even "Hero"! Jet Li's boyish persona was still intact here before his movies went all serious and the subtitled version is better than seeing it dubbed.
Full of big name Chinese stars from the likes of Jet Li, Rosamond Kwan, Jacky Cheung and Hong Kong actress veteran Brigitte Lin follows a mythical tale about ruling powers within' China. Full of wire- fu effects, and not so much a fan of those either but plenty of sword fights and beheading's (looks fake, of course), back stabbers and betrayals and some comedy relief. Similar to what one can find on one of those long Chinese soap opera films except that it's all crammed into a film. The other thing I like about this film is that it's not all serious as say "Crouching Tiger and Hidden Dragon" or even "Hero"! Jet Li's boyish persona was still intact here before his movies went all serious and the subtitled version is better than seeing it dubbed.
OVER-RATED!!!
crypto883 June 2002
I am a big fan of Hong Kong films. I love high-flying crazy flying swordsman movies. I am a fan of Jet Li. I am a fan of Ching Siu-Tung. But this movie is not that good! Everying is filmed in the dark, with quick blurry camera movements to cover up the use of wires. The fights are just badly filmed, and since thats all this movie has going for it... Well, okay, the final 15 minutes of battle is pretty good. But that is replayed in the beginning of the superior sequel THE EAST IS RED. Go see that one instead. Or see A CHINESE GHOST STORY or MOON WARRIORS or TAI CHI MASTER or even KUNG FU CULT MASTER. All much better movies than this.
A classic ruined by BAD translation/subtitles
frAnkzOnE29 April 2004
Asia the invincible? what the hell's that? the guy's surname is Dong Fang, which is a normal chinese surname, means "the east", he call himeself Bu Bai, coz he has not, did not, and thinks would not be defeated, so it means The Undefeated.
I know translation is a tough job, no matter how good you think you did, you still cannot transform all the meanings, undertones, indications in a culture sense. But not like this one! This is a very beautiful movie, all the lines, the scenes, the costumes, all very authenticly chinese, and stunning. And the poems recited in the movie, and the haunting song...hate to see all of these been ruined by the rediculous translantion.
You know, many things are just not meant to be translated, many words in chinese, they just can't be properly translated, such as "tian xia","qian kun", they are somewhat close to the meaning of "the world", but never is in the same sense of it.
So, for those who deminished the plot of the movie, I just wana tell you, it was based on one of the best selling Wuxia books in China, and the lines, they are very beautiful, in chinese. And for those who talked about the wire works, hello, this is a fantasy movie, and even with the wiring, have you ever seen body movements as beautiful as this in other movies, say the matrix? Wiring doesn't neccesarily mean it's not googd KongFu, This movie has some of the best fight scenes I have ever seen, wiring is only a basic requirement for action fantasies, but the thing they did with the fight scene, that's art, man. You have to be a KongFu master and an artist at the same time to be able to design, to creat such beautiful things.
In short, advice for people from America, Europe, Africa...no-china£¬If you wana have a better understanding of the movie, READ THE BOOK FIRST, and before that, LEARN SOME CHINESE! :)
I know translation is a tough job, no matter how good you think you did, you still cannot transform all the meanings, undertones, indications in a culture sense. But not like this one! This is a very beautiful movie, all the lines, the scenes, the costumes, all very authenticly chinese, and stunning. And the poems recited in the movie, and the haunting song...hate to see all of these been ruined by the rediculous translantion.
You know, many things are just not meant to be translated, many words in chinese, they just can't be properly translated, such as "tian xia","qian kun", they are somewhat close to the meaning of "the world", but never is in the same sense of it.
So, for those who deminished the plot of the movie, I just wana tell you, it was based on one of the best selling Wuxia books in China, and the lines, they are very beautiful, in chinese. And for those who talked about the wire works, hello, this is a fantasy movie, and even with the wiring, have you ever seen body movements as beautiful as this in other movies, say the matrix? Wiring doesn't neccesarily mean it's not googd KongFu, This movie has some of the best fight scenes I have ever seen, wiring is only a basic requirement for action fantasies, but the thing they did with the fight scene, that's art, man. You have to be a KongFu master and an artist at the same time to be able to design, to creat such beautiful things.
In short, advice for people from America, Europe, Africa...no-china£¬If you wana have a better understanding of the movie, READ THE BOOK FIRST, and before that, LEARN SOME CHINESE! :)
Fast-paced, action-packed
Billiam-430 August 2021
Fast-paced and action-packed martial arts tale is beautifully photographed and the fight and battle scenes are stunning, but pace also makes it difficult to follow the narrative which is full of cultural rferences and has many twists.
Who needs to understand the plot when you have Jet Li and Brigitte Lin?
mctheimer2 April 2000
For sheer entertainment value, it's hard to beat this film. If you're not concerned about intellectual stimulation, you'll have a great time. The plot is completely confusing, but it helps if you've seen "The Swordsman", the first movie in this sequence.
Don't worry; you won't be paying too much attention to the plot, because if you do you'll get a headache. In a capsule, various martial arts clans vie for possession of a scroll which describes how to obtain secret powers. This is a great excuse to hang together a bunch of amazing martial arts sequences, silly humor, and drunken singing -- and you'll probably sing right along. In fact, you'll see where "The Matrix" got a lot of its inspiration when you watch this film. (The Wachowski brothers worship Jet Li.)
As in "The Swordsman", I appreciated the fact that there are a number of strong female roles in this film. Hollywood doesn't allow many women action heroes, and this film shows how women can knock your socks off, if given the chance, in the fighting sequences.
Assume movie essence absorbing stance!
Don't worry; you won't be paying too much attention to the plot, because if you do you'll get a headache. In a capsule, various martial arts clans vie for possession of a scroll which describes how to obtain secret powers. This is a great excuse to hang together a bunch of amazing martial arts sequences, silly humor, and drunken singing -- and you'll probably sing right along. In fact, you'll see where "The Matrix" got a lot of its inspiration when you watch this film. (The Wachowski brothers worship Jet Li.)
As in "The Swordsman", I appreciated the fact that there are a number of strong female roles in this film. Hollywood doesn't allow many women action heroes, and this film shows how women can knock your socks off, if given the chance, in the fighting sequences.
Assume movie essence absorbing stance!
awesome ninjas
bentheds18 August 2003
i loved the accuracy of the ninjas, ok other than there flying. although many who did not know much about ninjas believed that they had mystical powers such as flying, running so fast that they could not be seen, invisibility and so on. there were no black ninja suits, but instead the type of attire ninjas are more likely to have worn. very young jet li.
Just have experienced great things all life,Who can laugh a few times？
yjtabc20 July 2015
Statement： 1，All of Chinese to English---there can't preview Chinese(Stupid Web！！！) 2，I use translation software to translate into English as much as possible, but due to cultural and language habits are different, you might not understand the meaning of them
A Laughter From The Seas （The song）
The seas laugh, lashing on both shores Carried in the waves, we have only the here and now
The heavens laugh at the troubled world Only they know, who is to win and lose
The mountains laugh, the rain is afar When the waves grow old, the world still goes on
The clear winds laugh, such a feeling of solitude Bygone camaraderie leaving behind a tinge of melancholy
The earth laughs, solitude no more My sentiments laughing still
This is a group of old text wrapped into a mess, can sing, sing, don't try to understand. To solution can also, risked to Move a stone to drop your foot it. Vaguely feel, this song speaks to disregard the changing of the hero, talked about a wait every day under the tree, in the hope that a hare would kill itself by crashing into a tree trunk's paladin, talked about the hero to Sitting in the well and think it's all of the world, told plug one's ears while stealing a bell of the sages, talked about life in a fit of pique today, talked about the universal nobody in the sunset.
Said is a laughter, in fact, laughter is more than the sea.
Sea laughter, boat sank.
Heavens laugh, as lightning.
Rivers and mountains laugh, rock are falling.
Breeze smile, flowers are falling.
People laugh, even no anger no hate no cause.
The film, about is how valuable a free and had free access to how difficult it is, even if is a Kong fu master, invincible, but always involuntarily. What a funny thing to an outsider is, it is people's principles, beliefs, and self.
what the hell! English is really unable to accurately express the meaning of, Chinese a lot of very essence of culture is completely unable to express, and some of the highlights cannot translation, to blame blame your ancestors culture too backward!
A Laughter From The Seas （The song）
The seas laugh, lashing on both shores Carried in the waves, we have only the here and now
The heavens laugh at the troubled world Only they know, who is to win and lose
The mountains laugh, the rain is afar When the waves grow old, the world still goes on
The clear winds laugh, such a feeling of solitude Bygone camaraderie leaving behind a tinge of melancholy
The earth laughs, solitude no more My sentiments laughing still
This is a group of old text wrapped into a mess, can sing, sing, don't try to understand. To solution can also, risked to Move a stone to drop your foot it. Vaguely feel, this song speaks to disregard the changing of the hero, talked about a wait every day under the tree, in the hope that a hare would kill itself by crashing into a tree trunk's paladin, talked about the hero to Sitting in the well and think it's all of the world, told plug one's ears while stealing a bell of the sages, talked about life in a fit of pique today, talked about the universal nobody in the sunset.
Said is a laughter, in fact, laughter is more than the sea.
Sea laughter, boat sank.
Heavens laugh, as lightning.
Rivers and mountains laugh, rock are falling.
Breeze smile, flowers are falling.
People laugh, even no anger no hate no cause.
The film, about is how valuable a free and had free access to how difficult it is, even if is a Kong fu master, invincible, but always involuntarily. What a funny thing to an outsider is, it is people's principles, beliefs, and self.
what the hell! English is really unable to accurately express the meaning of, Chinese a lot of very essence of culture is completely unable to express, and some of the highlights cannot translation, to blame blame your ancestors culture too backward!
Hong Kong cinema at its best
zvelf12 July 1999
Simply put and without undeserved hyperbole, this is one of the greatest fantasy/action-adventure films of all time. A little confusing on a first viewing, but makes complete sense subsequently. Should be seen many times to truly appreciate the amazing action sequences by Ching Sui Tong, Hong Kong's best action choreographer.
great, great film!!!
billcody10 February 2002
I saw this film back in 1992. A friend of mine told me about it, and when I had a chance to see it a couple of months later I changed my schedule around just to see it. And I was sooo glad I did.
I was flat out blown away. I've seen it a couple of times since and I always have the same reaction. This is what film making is all about.
The only problem for me that was after seeing this film I was not all that impressed with either The Matrix or Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. If you've seen Swordsman 2 or any of the very best Jet Li films it is very difficult to be impressed with knocks offs done with bland actors like Keanu Reeves and Chow Yung Fat.
I anxiously await the day that a picture this exciting and/or sexually provocative gets a release in this country.
I was flat out blown away. I've seen it a couple of times since and I always have the same reaction. This is what film making is all about.
The only problem for me that was after seeing this film I was not all that impressed with either The Matrix or Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. If you've seen Swordsman 2 or any of the very best Jet Li films it is very difficult to be impressed with knocks offs done with bland actors like Keanu Reeves and Chow Yung Fat.
I anxiously await the day that a picture this exciting and/or sexually provocative gets a release in this country.
A BIG disappointment
JACKIECHANSUX28 July 2003
I love most Jet Li movies (with the exception of Romeo Must Die) and I bought this movie in a VERY cheap three-pack with "The Master" and "Twin Warriors". While Twin Warriors was very impressive and I was thoroughly intrigued by it, and the master was a bit "Karate Kid" but also enjoyable, I thought this movie was TERRIBLE. I'm not just saying that because I'm used to better movies. I'm saying that it was almost down there with "Kazaam". The fight scenes were terrible (blurry cameras and no real fighting) and the plot was your typical "stupid kung-fu plot". If you are going to have a plot this stupid (see 'man turns into woman to become all-powerful then falls in love with Jet Li') you best have some great fighting to go with it. If you are looking for an original HK Jet Li movie, I suggest you go rent "Shaolin Temple 2" (aka Kids from Shaolin).
superior in every respect
rogierr8 October 2001
Provided you are slightly interested in fantasy, horror, and a little kung-fu, this film is the best in the genre. Great choreography and music, ok humor, very good lighting, nearly perfect sound (unlike many fantasy flicks), a very good story and colorful and dynamic cinematography (Lau Moon Tong) that surpasses even Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (Lee, 2000) sometimes though it is nine years older. On every other fields CTHD is simply crushed by this fabulous film. I can't believe CTHD got 22843 votes and Swordsman 2 less than 1% of that. Mwahahahehe: have all these guys missed something! :-P
In Asia Jet Li is very famous and most Chinese who are interested in movies will probably have seen this already. In the rest of the world this is probably only seen by people who liked Evil Dead (Raimi, 1982), Chinese Ghost Story (also directed by Siu-Tung Ching, 1987) AND at recently CTHD. Featured are Recoiling whip, Flying bomb, Rotation of the stars (massive action scene with 6 swordfighters), Essence absorbing stance, Invincible Dawn, Kiddo and Scum Bag (last two are characters). Some of the story elements are hard to follow, but that doesn't diminish the entertaining value (story continues AND action continues): just go see it again if you didn't understand it 8-)
THIS is groundbreaking: not CTHD. The action scenes in CTHD may be shot beautifully and without many cuts, but Swordsman 2 definitely has more fantasy and the director isn't afraid of showing blood like Ang Lee WAS unfortunately. Swordsman 2 tries to embed the story in Japanese civil war and therefore the film starts with Japanese swordfighters (speaking Kantonese though) and Japanese music. After the titles we are left with gravity-defying swordfighters of Chinese AND Japanese origin and ninjas as they fight in South China in the 22nd year of Emperor Sun. Also there is a megalomaniac who slowly changes into a woman and there is a girl who constantly is mistaken for a man (not exactly like Vasquez in 'Aliens'). Don't ask for the significance of that plz. Swordsman 2 (haven't seen part 1 yet) is NOT over-rated with 8.6 (211 votes), and provided you liked Iron Monkey (Woo-Ping Yuen, 1993), this one will blow you out of your socks and chop you in half. Finally, the popular Stormriders (Wai Keung Lau, 1998) also couldn't come near this masterpiece.
10 points out of 10 :-)
In Asia Jet Li is very famous and most Chinese who are interested in movies will probably have seen this already. In the rest of the world this is probably only seen by people who liked Evil Dead (Raimi, 1982), Chinese Ghost Story (also directed by Siu-Tung Ching, 1987) AND at recently CTHD. Featured are Recoiling whip, Flying bomb, Rotation of the stars (massive action scene with 6 swordfighters), Essence absorbing stance, Invincible Dawn, Kiddo and Scum Bag (last two are characters). Some of the story elements are hard to follow, but that doesn't diminish the entertaining value (story continues AND action continues): just go see it again if you didn't understand it 8-)
THIS is groundbreaking: not CTHD. The action scenes in CTHD may be shot beautifully and without many cuts, but Swordsman 2 definitely has more fantasy and the director isn't afraid of showing blood like Ang Lee WAS unfortunately. Swordsman 2 tries to embed the story in Japanese civil war and therefore the film starts with Japanese swordfighters (speaking Kantonese though) and Japanese music. After the titles we are left with gravity-defying swordfighters of Chinese AND Japanese origin and ninjas as they fight in South China in the 22nd year of Emperor Sun. Also there is a megalomaniac who slowly changes into a woman and there is a girl who constantly is mistaken for a man (not exactly like Vasquez in 'Aliens'). Don't ask for the significance of that plz. Swordsman 2 (haven't seen part 1 yet) is NOT over-rated with 8.6 (211 votes), and provided you liked Iron Monkey (Woo-Ping Yuen, 1993), this one will blow you out of your socks and chop you in half. Finally, the popular Stormriders (Wai Keung Lau, 1998) also couldn't come near this masterpiece.
10 points out of 10 :-)
a wonderful experience
chinahaitaoli13 May 2005
The color is dark sometimes, the plot is odd to some extent, but the movie is great after you understand the meaning of every scene. This movie is much better than the original novel in which "Asia the invincible" is a man. This movie keeps saying she used to be a man just for showing respect to the author of the novel. In fact, it's nonsense for the whole plot. She is a woman falling in love with Jet Li when they met the first time. Soon, she knows he will be her enemy. But her real enemy is the rules of power game. The lovers meet again in the battlefield where they do not have time to explain to each other. They have to flight until one of them is dead. He is a hero while she is a heroine. He is fighting for his friends while she is fighting for her clan and her ambition. There is no solution for them. Before death, her last words are that I ask you to remember me forever. Let Li's character is a cute and happy man who wants to leave the power game with his friends but failed again and again. His fantastic martial art means the power he owns. It's beautiful but dangerous. How can a powerful body works with a peaceful mind?
It's a movie designed for Chinese or East-Asian culture. I will not recommend it to western people since they can't understand it. Power is a barrier, culture is too.
It's a movie designed for Chinese or East-Asian culture. I will not recommend it to western people since they can't understand it. Power is a barrier, culture is too.
A Wuxia Classic
moribana12 May 2001
Warning: Spoilers
I won't throw out any spoilers, just assure you that this is a great classic of fantasy martial arts films. If you find yourself unable to follow the story or action, just rewatch it a few times. It only gets better and better.
I would highly recommend watching swordsman one first though. There are many links in the story and it is nearly as good as part two. The only regrettable thing is that different actors play the same characters (Only Blue Phoenix is played by the same actor in both films).
If you enjoy complex plots, scheming factions, dreamlike landscapes and outrageous martial arts all tied together in a whimsical Daoist song about the transient comedy of life, the Swordsman series is for you.
I would highly recommend watching swordsman one first though. There are many links in the story and it is nearly as good as part two. The only regrettable thing is that different actors play the same characters (Only Blue Phoenix is played by the same actor in both films).
If you enjoy complex plots, scheming factions, dreamlike landscapes and outrageous martial arts all tied together in a whimsical Daoist song about the transient comedy of life, the Swordsman series is for you.
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