14 Blades (2010) User Reviews

A Nutshell Review: 14 Blades

[DICK STEEL · 7/10 · 27 January 2010]

It's about time Donnie Yen made an impact yet again in the fantasy wuxia-pian genre, given the rather recent dismal films with Painted Skin (where he only had a supporting role), An Empress and the Warriors, and Tsui Hark's Seven Swords back in 2005. Most of us went ballistic with his more modern action roles ranging from SPL to Ip Man, and his 14 Blades character of Qing Long (Green Dragon, thanks to those mean looking tattoos adorned all over his upper torso) here looks quite set to become yet another memorable role similar to his morally ambiguous one in Bodyguards and Assassins.

Here, Yen's Qing Long is the General-in-chief bodyguard to, and assassin for a Ming Dynasty king, who had set up the Jin Yi Wei (the Mandarin title), or the Brocaded Robe Guards, a special army known for its dogmatic principles in fulfilling mission objectives, whose loyalty is to the king only, and are at his beck and call to do just about anything the king commands. That of course leaves room for evil eunuchs to manipulate, especially when they can get the king easily distracted with wine, song and plenty of nubile women.

The first few minutes of the film introduces us to the background of Qing Long and his army of bodyguards and assassins, the evil that lurks within the royal family and palace from eunuchs to an exiled prince (an extremely short cameo by Sammo Hung), and of course, the fabled 14 Blades. Unfortunately, we are told of the uniqueness and names of each blade, but never see all of them in action, coupled by the fact that they look quite generic. Only Qing Long is assigned this utility box containing the swords and lugs it everywhere ala El Mariachi's guitar case, and at his will can throw up the appropriate weapon to battle adversaries, including a set of grappling hooks!

Writer-director Daniel Lee managed to create a film consisting of a successful amalgamation of wuxia-pian elements, with iconic fight action sequences set in tea houses, desert duels, forest brawls with abandoned temples and exotic cities enhanced by CG to play host to a film complete with double crosses, a prized possession that everyone is after, and had time to sneak in unrequited romance. In some ways the film plays out like a Cowboy Western with its one man sheriff and an escort agency up against various bands of outlaws in endless desert filled land, with that theme of hope that they'll make it unscathed against changing odds, save the day and to ride off into the sunset with the damsel.

The story though gave way at the midway mark, where it clearly became nothing more than a stringing together of battles and one on one duels, which thankfully were still exciting to sit through, with none of the fast cut edits or crazy closeups that will make you cringe. With the introduction of Wu Chun as Judge, the leader of a brigade of bandits who has this cool boomerang double blade, and Kate Tsui in a role where she only grunts as loud as Maria Sharapova in a return volley, ample time got dedicated for one to mirror QIng Long's transformation and road to redemption, while the other, well, just serves to grunt a lot, in a get up that looks inspired by Medusa, and armed with a serpent sword-like-whip, and powers of CG stealth.

But underneath the fights, the flimsy storyline and gorgeous costumes, 14 Blades turns out to have an incredibly strong romance instead, with Vicky Zhao (her umpteenth period role straight) starring as Qiao Hua, daughter of the Justice Escort agency founder (played by veteran Wu Ma), enamoured by the manliness of the legendary leader of the Jin Yi Wei, since she grew up on fairy tales and harbouring the hopes that a fabled swordsman would one day save society from its evils. In a way her Qiao Hua exhibits the Stockholm Syndrome, being held captive against her wishes, but slowly being drawn romantically to her captive, even endangering herself (in a scene to provide comic relief) by willingly becoming his aide and pawn.

It's far from being the perfect film, especially with unbelievably incoherent flashbacks and the going overboard with explosions (of the RPG type), but Donnie Yen once again shows that when it comes to the fisticuffs, he still has a lot to offer, despite the story's potential that had it go off the blocks strongly, only to fizzle out before the end in a case of severe narrative burn-out.

its like a candy for a chocolate lover.

[mystery_hunters13 · 6/10 · 10 May 2011]

As i said in the summary this movie is like a candy for a chocolate lover! If you are the kinda person who likes the martial art movies, if you wanna see some kungfu kicks and wanna hear swusshhhh of the swords, this is the movie for you.

Story is not that extraordinary, screenplay is good, locations are good. In the second half of the movie they added this middle-eastern styled city, it looks like a place straight from Arabian desert cartoon and Chun Wu's appearance fills the role of Aladdin lol.

Wei Zhao was good in her role but I'm not sure how much you gonna like her. She is not the Wei Zhao of shaolin soccer or red cliff, shes more of a Wei Zhao of warriors of heaven and earth. she does not know any martial arts in the movie and the love story between Donnie and Wei is not that impressive.

The box of swords used by Donnie and the all little gadgets its embedded with is quite new and very good. Kate Tsui's role was good, she had the exact amount of screen time that was needed and she did exactly what she was supposed to do. However there are quite a lot mistakes but hey come on, its a martial arts movie. The ending of the movie could have been different and better.

Final verdict: Good acting, good action scenes, okish story, nice locations and worth watching MA. Its definitely watchable movie, i got exactly what i expected to see, not a penny more not a penny less. I give it a rating of 6.

Not enough

[kosmasp · 6/10 · 28 December 2010]

I'm not talking about the blades, but about the story. It's a shame that the story (as good as it is and it's not bad) is not more fleshed out. Recent movies have shown that there are ways to make the eastern movies attractive (again). Though I am a bit biased, having grown up watching the Shaw Brothers movies, I do think that this could have done with a bit of script writing upgrade.

Of course the Shaw Brothers movies might not stand up to the test of time (or script writing I come to expect these days), but apart from that they had great actors. Donnie Yen holds his stand here and he does a good job. Of course that also means that the action is well shot and choreographed. I'm just saying you might be left with a feeling that there could have been more.

Exceeds expectation

[harry_tk_yung · 13 February 2010]

This genre usually gives rise to somewhat standard expectations, with great action as the top, if not the only, priority. This is particularly so in the case when you have the best, Donnie Yen. And yet, while Yan has never let his loyal followers down, including this time, the climatic duel in this movie is with Kate Tsui (as Tuo Tuo, a deadly Amazon and a daughter of an ambitious warlord), generally recognized as the most promising in the talent department among the crop of young actresses, but not by any stretch of imagination an action star remotely in the league of Yen. Top-notch action direction and earnest effort on the part of the young lady helps, but this is clearly not one of the "exceeds expectation" items in my summary line. But then, almost everything else is.

With the proliferation of martial art action movies in recent years, you need to have new selling points to make a movie of this genre stand out. This one has not just one, but a few. The title devise, the 14 blades, is one. As explained at the very beginning (so don't be late), the arsenals of the Jin Yi Wei ("glamorously apparelled guards" - see below) comprises various gadgets stored in a box not unlike one in which you carry roses on Valentine's Day. The content, however, is like something that Batman would have commissioned Q to design (had he been acquainted with the gentleman). Be rest assured that these gadgets have ample opportunities to entertain your throughout the movie. Tuo Tuo's arsenal is another. Her weapon is a crossover of a whip and a blade, and wickedly clever camera work makes sure that she wields it with equally deadly efficiency. True, this is more like the ultra cool poses that Johnny To used for pistols in his classic "The mission" (1999 – "Cheung Fo"), but it's just as fun to watch. But topping even that is her layered silk-like garments that she sheds, right in the middle of a fight, as decoys to distract weapons as she circles her opponents like a whirlwind. And she completes the circle by slipping back into these layers of her garments, by which time the opponent is usually dead with his throat slashed. If that is not exotic, I don't know what is. One further addition of these exotic collections is bandit-turned-Robin-Hood, desert bandit chief Judge's joined curved blades that looks like a propeller and works like a boomerang. You can imagine how highly entertaining it is to watch a duel between any pair of these three (and you'll see them all). By the way, I've got to say this: I'm almost certain that the director wrote to Johnny Depp to borrow his costumes from "Pirates of the Caribbean" for his character Judge.

Still on the "hardware" aspects of the movie, the exotic set pieces and desert landscape are something that you may perhaps see in similar movies, but not as meticulously designed and beautifully shot. On the "software" side, there is a serviceable plot, essentially surrounding an imperial seal which will cause tragic bloodsheds if fell into the hands of an ambitious warlord. The middle section of the movie on the chase and hunt, tracking and dodging looks very much like a retro western, and is equally enjoyable.

The woe of the Jin Yi Wei is well depicted: imperial effective killing machines recruited from orphans, following orders without any moral qualms. Donnie, whose acting ability is beginning to catch up with his top-notch action skills, portrays such a one, who finds himself in an agonizing dilemma when his conscience is awaken. Lovely Vicki Zhao is perfect as the determined daughter trying to be the son of a father whose business of express delivery of treasured items is declining. The movie takes attentive pain if developing these two main characters and the romance between them. It pays off as a convincing story, with due credit to good acting from Yan and Zhao.

All told, this movie offers exciting action, rich details, interesting characters and appealing visuals and, something that I haven't mentioned, excellent sound editing and mixing. Can't remember in my recent cinematic experience of this genre that has quite kept my attention continuously for 2 full hours.

14 Blades

[Tweekums · 7/10 · 20 November 2014]

Set in Ming dynasty China, this film follows Qinglong; a member of the Jinyiwei or secret service. This elite force, made up entirely of orphans is dedicated to the service of the emperor but an attempted takeover at the royal court leaves Qinglong fighting to return a stolen royal seal. On his journey he travels with Qiao Hua the beautiful daughter of a man he employed to help him. Before the task is complete they will have to face many enemies but they will also make new friends.

The plot to this film is fairly simple but that doesn't matter; this is a film about action and it delivers that in spades with one spectacular fight after another. As one might expect this includes a fair amount of impossibly athletic martial arts as fighters leap through the air, slice through large wooden building supports and dodge arrows… all part of the fun in this sort of film. While their moves may be impossible the protagonists are far from immortal and many will die bloody deaths before the end. Donnie Yen does a fine job as protagonist Qinglong and is ably supported by Wei Zhao who plays Qiao Hua… although I was a little disappointed that she wasn't in more of the action scenes… perhaps because I'd recently watched the playing Mulan! There is a fighting woman in the film; Kate Tsui who plays the most dangerous of the bad guys Tuo Tuo… a woman who wields a weapon that seems to be a cross between a sword and a whip! Chun Wu who plays 'The Judge of the Desert' is also entertaining. Everything looks good and the desert setting and characters on horseback makes it feel much like a western. Overall it might not be the best example but fans of the genre should enjoy it.

These comments are based on watching the film in Mandarin with English subtitles.

Regular...

[RosanaBotafogo · 6/10 · 12 July 2020]

I tried 3 times, but there was no chemistry, the style doesn't appeal to me, and the story didn't involve me...

This is far from a classic martial arts picture but it is worth a viewing

[kevin_robbins · 6/10 · 23 July 2022]

14 Blades (2010) is a movie I recently rewatched for the first time in a long time on Tubi. The storyline follows a secret service agent during the Ming Dynasty who is sent on a secret mission only to discover he has been betrayed and now his former colleagues are after him. Can he clear his name before his former colleagues kill him?

This movie is directed by Daniel Lee (Three Kingdoms) and stars Donnie Yen (Iron Monkey 2), Wei Zhao (Red Cliff), Sammo Kam-Bo Hung (Knockabout), Chun Wu (My Kingdom) and Kar-Ying Law (From Beijing with Love).

Sammo Hung and Donnie Yen are always awesome and worth watching. Yen was ripped and in terrific shape. The attire, sets and cinematography was very well done. The choreography was inconsistent with some scenes well done and some with too much reliance on wires. The integration of CGI into the weapons was also inconsistent with some scenes working better than others. I will say that I did appreciate the variety of weapons used throughout the film.

Overall this is far from a classic martial arts picture but it is worth a viewing. I would score this a 6/10 and recommend seeing it once.

Too much wire fu--too little in the way of plot.

[planktonrules · 4/10 · 4 September 2014]

Whether you enjoy "14 Blades" will most likely depend on what you think of the extensive use of so-called 'wire fu' throughout the film. This term was coined some time ago to describe the martial arts you see in some Chinese films where the stunts can only be achieved using hidden wires and harnesses to make characters magically fly as they fight. This was popularized in the film "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" but was actually used well before this in some of the Shaw Brothers films of the 1970s (such as "Sister Street Fighter"). I don't mind these crazy techniques if they are used very sparingly. When it doesn't dominate the film and when the actors aren't doing things so insanely impossible that I have trouble enjoying the movie, it can be effective. Instead, I prefer martial arts films where the action is both plausible AND insanely realistic--such as in films like "Ip Man", "In the Blood" and the old Sonny Chiba Street Fighter films. To me, wire fu can become a gimmick-- especially when used too often. And, in "14 Blades" it simply is overused and as a result, the story itself is rather weak.

When the film begins, you learn that in the Ming Dynasty, the Emperors created the Jinyiwei. The Jinyiwei was initially a small group of men who were like a combination of spies and assassins. They were independent of the rest of the government and had the authority to overrule judges and dispatch supposed enemies of the Emperor with their bladed weapons. While this sounds far-fetched, I did some research and found that this really was a secret organization which was created in 14th century China! So, I applaud the film for basing the plot, in part, on real historical facts and characters.

One of these Jinyiwei, General Qinlong (Donnie Yen) is the hero, of sorts, in this film. He is betrayed by disloyal folks within the Emperor's court and spends the entire film being pursued by an outlaw Prince and his band of baddies. Throughout the film, it's one battle after another after another, as the Prince's troops try to kill Qinlong and steal the royal seal. And, the baddest of these baddies is Tuo Tuo, the Prince's adopted daughter. She has all sorts of magical fighting powers, can punch through trees, tosses enormous statues about as if they were made of styrofoam and can appear and disappear, fly and do practically anything. How could Qinlong possibly defeat this magical killing machine?!

To me, if Tuo Tuo had been eliminated from the film completely, "14 Blades" would have been a much better film. She simply was too impossible to believe and her stunts were insanely impossible--yet many of the fight scenes without her were exciting and high-energy. The wizards in The Lord of the Rings films had less powers than she did and to me this was just a distraction. This combining of real historical events (the Jinyimei) with ridiculous over-the-top characters didn't work for me and I wish the director, Daniel Lee, had focused less on these stunts and more on the story and realistic fighting. Not a bad film, it lacks the depth and believable characters I look for in a great martial arts movie.

Great movie... after 30 min

[limona_razvan · 8/10 · 18 March 2010]

In the beginning, mostly first 30 min, I believed 14 Blades is going to be your usual gong fu flick. Then the bricks started to fall in places as emotions, disguised and shy as usual in good Chinese movies, got out step by step. Donnie Yen let his character's fatigue and pain show more and more, avoiding the old, tired cliché of invincible master of so - many forms. He killed his way inside Jinwey, starting with his brother as young, orphaned children put to test by unforgiven 'official assassins', sponsored by the state. Along the way you meet the Judge of Desert, kind of unidimensional character, but Wei Zhao and Kate Tsui stole most of the scenes they play. Wei, remarkable in Mulan, is here a soon-to-be wife and she uses perfectly her shyness and big eyes to convey more emotions than a sword can do. Not that swords and chains don't mix, as Kate Tsui' Tuo Tuo stealthy killer can prove. The final battle is the best seen in years, especially when Green Dragon and Tuo Tuo die together and HOPE is the real message this movie want to share. Hope, despite loss, pain and solitude.

Rather enjoyable

[mmushrm · 7/10 · 13 February 2011]

Donnie Yen have been in some stinkers recently so I wasn't expecting much but I found 14 Blades rather enjoyable.

Its a set period piece where Donnie Yen plays Qing-Long (Green dragon) the leader of the imperial bodyguard/secret police/death squad. He gets tricked by the palace eunuch to help steal the imperial stamp. The movie is about his exploits in getting it back.

As in most movies there is a love story as well but its more to add depth to Donnie's character rather then some sappy mushy mess. This movies is a Martial Arts Western with bits Prince of Persia thrown in. For some reason Donnie also look like he has dreadlocks and look like a pirate. Fight scenes are good and very fast.

The revelation to me was Kate Tsui as Tuo Tuo. She should actually get 3rd billing for this movie. She hardly says anything but her presence as the "bad guy" and her fight scenes are very good. when watching I kept thinking ..."perhaps the next Bridgette Lin for martial Art movies"

If you are not looking for a deep story with great acting but an action adventure, 14 Blades fit the bill.

14 blades, but no hoof pick.

[BA_Harrison · 3/10 · 25 November 2016]

Martial arts star Donnie Yen plays Qinglong, the toughest of all the Jinyiwei, deadly assassins of the Ming dynasty. For some reason that I can't quite remember, Qinglong finds himself hunted by his fellow Jinyiwei, and is forced to hold hostage a pretty young woman, Qiao Hua (Wei Zhao), to make his escape. While fulfilling his mission of protecting the royal seal, he also teams up with an Asian Jack Sparrow (armed with a boomerang sword!) to steal a load of gold, and does battle with Tuo Tuo (Kate Tsui), daughter of Prince Qing (Sammo Hung), whose ability to move like a wraith makes her almost invincible. Fortunately for Qing, he possesses a very useful mechanical wooden box, which, like a giant Swiss army knife, holds fourteen very sharp implements (but nothing to pick a stone out of a horse's hoof).

I don't know… maybe I just wasn't in the right mood for an epic wire-fu filled wuxia movie, or perhaps I was just too tired to concentrate, but 14 Blades, which stars the amazing Donnie Yen, did almost nothing for me: I found the plot hard to follow, and the martial arts scenes left me distinctly unimpressed, the choppy editing and the CGI certainly not aiding my enjoyment. Yen isn't at fault: he puts in another fine performance, but after all these years he really deserves better than this unmemorable kind of dross; I imagine that his exposure in Rogue One next month will finally get him the recognition in the west that he deserves, but I fear that he'll end up co-starring with the latest fast-talking black comedian on the block, or a bloke with a funny shaped nose.

A generous 4/10, minus one point for having the clearly female Qiao Hua pose as Qinglong, just another example of that silly kung fu movie trope of women successfully pretending to be men simply by wearing a hat.

Fact: People on IMDb wouldn't know a Good Kung fu Flick if it Kicked them in the Butt

[IKnowGoodFilms · 9/10 · 16 February 2014]

Any true fans of kung fu know we watch these films for one reason and one reason only. The action! And this film was no disappointment in that regard whatsoever. The action was never gone for long from the screen, and every sequence was a sight to behold. Of course, a somewhat intelligible story is a good bonus. Guess what, this has that too. In my opinion, this is Donnie Yen's best film since IP Man. Also, unlike IP Man, it has great re-watch ability. This is very highly recommended to any true fans of the genre who want to see some mind blowing unique action, with some incredibly crazy weaponry. 9/10 stars, one of my favorites.

this could have been incredible

[thisissubtitledmovies · 6/10 · 31 August 2010]

14 Blades is an epic martial arts drama set against a back drop of love, honour and betrayal. The fate of the Chinese empire rests in the hands of one man, who may have to sacrifice everything in order to defeat a rebellion.

The remainder of the cast offer excellent support, and it's especially good to see elder statesman Sammo Hung being cast against type as the bitter, vengeful Prince Quin. My only grumble is that he seems woefully underused, but the run time of 114 minutes is just about perfect.

14 Blades is a very good film. Imaginatively made and skilfully performed. Be prepared for an entertaining Eastern thrill ride with an emotional heart and fabulous performances to drive the story through. If a little more care had been made with the script, this could have been incredible, but it still comes highly recommended. SM

Fun if disposable

[Leofwine_draca · 5/10 · 6 April 2013]

Although it gets off to a shaky start, after the first half an hour 14 Blades acquits itself well as a perfectly serviceable martial arts romp with all the requisite elements, ranging from hard-hitting kung fu action, weapon play and court intrigue to romance, picturesque locations and heroic endeavours. It's all made better than it has any right to be thanks to the presence of martial arts supreme Donnie Yen, who's quickly established himself as my favourite of the modern-day action stars.

14 BLADES sees Yen playing the role of a powerful governmental assassin who finds himself betrayed by a dastardly villain and forced to flee for his life while an endless stream of warriors pursue him. Along the way, he must contend with his growing feelings for a female ally, played by the ravishing Zhao Wei, while at the same time battling a superior warrior women played by Kate Tsui. There's a pointless cameo for Sammo Hung and some decent fight action along the way, although it has to be said that the choreography isn't as superior as I'd expect given Yen's involvement. Still, for martial arts fans this is a fun if disposable outing.

14 Blades - Contains Spoilers

[wolfe_mac5 · 6/10 · 8 September 2010]

This Martial Arts Ming Dynasty thriller 14 Blades(2010) launches into full swing with help from kung fu specialist Donnie Yen (Qing Long). The action packed story is based around the exploits of Qing Long, the commander general of the Jin Yi Wei elite assassin force. These specialized Ming Dynasty King bodyguards were originally orphan children trained to serve and protect the emperor. Qing Long faces espionage, corruption and also romantic (non-physical) elements with sprinklings of humor chucked in. However, the kung fu weaponry displays are the main attraction. Other impacting characters include female actors Wei Zhao(Qiao Hua) and personal favorite Kate Tsui (Tuo Tuo). Qing Long is forced to carry out a false and corrupted high ranking order which involves seizing the emperor's treasure box (Imperial Seal). The mission backfires badly on Qing Long and causes confusion among Ming Dynasty officials as to who can be trusted. The Imperial Seal gets surprisingly re-snatched from Qing Long during the mission, which suggests an inside job. Speculation and scare-mongering surrounds the legendary elite forces commander (Qing Long) putting his reputation in jeopardy. He also suffers some severe stab wounds during the botched treasure box fiasco, but finds a resting haven to recover and meets the attractive Qiao Hua. These two characters create an ever present romantic underbelly for the duration of the movie that never really develops. And even though Qing Long develops a soft-spot for Qiao Hua, the steely cold killing professional will always live and die by the sword (short path). A portrayal of commitment and honor comes through strongly as Qing Long fully focuses on regaining his much respected Jin Yi Wei dignity and restores Ming Dynasty order after seeds of distrust are planted. The solid chiseled frame of Donnie Yen covered in colorful tattoos produces some fine fast action which complements his cool as ice persona adding a character knockout combination. The fourteen blades title refers to Qing Long's dangerous killing arsenal involving fourteen blades of mass destruction that all have a specific function and application. The blades fit neatly inside a compartmental rectangular portable box that can be carried over your back like a golf bag. Also attached to this futuristic advanced weaponry is some kind of cable system which can rapidly fire a two hook-device into solid surfaces, which makes Qing Long man-oeuvre quickly in any direction possible. Once this power house box of blades is unleashed by Qing Long it is highly entertaining and comes in handy when he's being hunted by the many attackers. Wuxia elements get ramped up quickly when Tuo Tuo's character is introduced showcasing dazzling displays of super-human power and fiction. Her speed is so superior (and exaggerated) that she has an invisible aura when fighting, making it almost impossible to strike her. This makes for an ultimate showdown between her and killing machine Qing Long. Tuo Tuo's buttery gorgeous face and sweet little voice couldn't be further away from the unbeatable hell-cat hit-woman she portrays, but the mix works seemingly well together. The special effects are impressive especially when the sounds of opposing blades are swung and clash together, giving a sense of reality amid the fantasia. The cute, but extremely lethal Tuo Tuo unleashes hell with her special weapon which appears to be some kind of unique cut-throat chain. It has a rattlesnake exterior and when waved about in action sounds like a panther and rattlesnake fighting. When combined with Tuo Tuo's aggressive high pitch grunts adds more weight to the dramatic settings. These audio elements accentuate the ferocity of the combat scenes. Tuo Tuo's character also demonstrates some highly effective visuals, as she glides in and out of her magical glistening (Teflon looking) combat coat. She spins around making it hard work for her would be attackers. But before the final showdown with Qing Long, Tuo Tuo takes on the super slick 'Judge Of The Desert (Chun- Wu) from the Sky Eagle Clan. Judge first appears as a Robin Hood type of character, but keeps the riches for himself. However, he comes good in the end and tries his attacking hand against Tuo Tuo while coming to the rescue of damsel in distress, Qiao Hun. The Judge also pulls out a unique sword with slightly curved blades at both ends and grip handle in the middle. He throws this sword like a boomerang slicing up a storm, then catches it on its return. One of the many funny lines in the movie also involves, Judge. Before heading in battle, Judge would yell out with echo effect 'here come the Sky Eagles…' not unlike how Tarzan would rally-roar to signal the jungle animals. In the end, Qing Long always had his dignity but needed to complete his final mission. The special effects and kung fu displays are worth a look.

Watch Secret Service of Imperial Court instead

[desperadous · 7/10 · 8 April 2012]

From all the reviews that I read above me seems like no one knows that 14 Blades is a Shaw Brothers remake of the 1984 movie Secret Service of Imperial Court directed by Tony Liu Jun Guk.

Now that I got that out of the way the modern version 14 blades is directed by mostly hit or miss Daniel Lee.His credits include Black Mask,What Price Survival,Three Kingdoms Resurrection of the Dragon,Star Runner Aka Kumite,Dragon Squad aka Dragon Heat and the upcoming Wuxia White Vengeance.As you can see from those credits most people that have seen his movies only Black Mask and What Price Survival were their favorites.

The cast includes both new actors old school Kung Fu actors from the Shaw Brothers era like Chen Kwan Tai,Wu Ma,Lam Chi Tai,Fung Hak On.From Golden Harves of course Sammo Hung which has only a supporting part and does not lay a finger on nobody,Duel to the Death's Damian Lau (if you blinked you missed him because i don't even remember him being in it).Wu Chun who looks like a pretty boy Asian Jack Sparrow,Vicky Zhao Whei,and Donnie Yen filling up for Leung Kar Yan aka Beardy.

The Cinematography is nice too look at as well as the special effects.Donnie Yen barely saves this movie and the supporting cast seems to be weak and not backing him up at all.There is both some wire fu and some good fighting scenes in this movie but unless you're a Donnie Yen fan this one is an OK movie better than Three Kingdoms but not better than its rivals like Ip Man movies and True Legend by Yuen Woo Ping.Watch the Original it is 10 times better and did not need wire fu or GGI to make it a good movie.

Not quite there because of the flat and unoriginal storyline, but still a martial arts movie that might be worth watching maybe once

[KineticSeoul · 5/10 · 25 May 2011]

This is another martial arts flick with weapons and it's a pretty good one at that, just isn't great. Mainly it's because the story is sort of flat although all over the place at times. But I liked the comic book style of this movie and since it works sometimes. The title of this movie is the weapons that Donnie Yen's character carries around with him in a wooden box, but they mostly all look generic. Although each weapon has it's purpose, but you can't tell which weapon is which while watching for the most part. Also the 14 blades isn't even used in a special manner, it just seemed like regular swords for the most part. It would have been cool if it showed each weapon with a distinctive different look and style of fighting to it. But that just doesn't apply to this movie for the most part. What starts out as a bit over the place plot while being somewhat interesting quickly becomes a romance movie between Donnie Yen and Zhao Wei's characters. However the fight choreography is done really well in this and doesn't come off as being super lame to watch or anything like that. It seems like Donnie Yen's talent is increasing with every martial arts movie he is in. The set pieces are well crafted as well and if the plot carried it's own weight as well, this would have been a great martial arts movie.

5.8/10

MA movie with a love story

[kiie06 · 9/10 · 17 February 2010]

This MA drove me into writing my first movie review in IMDb. Yet another one of Donnie Yen's best, I would say. Less meaningful impact than 'Ip Man' and 'Bodyguards and Assassins' in terms of overall storyline but for original ancient MA screenplay, this was a very good one. It's a martial art movie with a non-cheesy love story (I could remember The Myth for MA+cheesy love story).

Character developments were mainly focused on the protagonists (Donnie and Vicky), especially their attraction to each other. What I personally like most about this movie were their love story, creative martial art moves(as usual in most Donnie Yen's movie) and some comical relief from Donnie Yen. A much improved pairing since 'Painted Skin' where they both lack of connection to each other. Just like in recent movies, Donnie Yen never failed his viewers and this time gave even more, by showing off his tattooed six pack torso. And this was by far my favourite character from him, as the anti-hero Green Dragon on his deadly pursue for redemption. And not forgetting his 14 blades, even thought it's the title of the movie but not really the highlight throughout the movie, unlike 'Seven Swords'. Disappointingly, except that we knew the name and functionality of each blade, we never really see them in action, and when they did, I was not sure which blade was being used.

As for the nemesis acted by a promising young TVB star, Kate Tsui, personally I am not a fans of her, and I think she looks too young for a great assassin. I would prefer if they could cast some really talented martial art actor with convincing moves and not just some lifeless and 'pretty' stances from young stars, and heavily CG-ed MA move from Tuo Tuo, especially her disrobing move. Same goes to the other anti-hero Wu Chun's Judge. I did not recognize him instantly as I was not into Taiwan boyband scene but I know right away he is some sort of young model or prettyboy actor. A lot of cool and pretty pose from him but his character serves no purpose, well, maybe his character will earn my acknowledgement if he looked older and less prettyboy. Their acting skill? Don't expect much, just enjoy their costume and weapons, OK.

At the end of this movie, I feel that I will watch this movie again but just for Donnie Yen and Vicky Zhou.

The era of great Hong Kong movies is now in the past

[The-Sarkologist · 3/10 · 1 March 2013]

It does seem that the quality of Hong Kong cinema has declined remarkably. I don't know what it is that during the days of Jet Li and Jackie Chan in the classic period I was able to follow the movie despite the sub titles, but with some of these later offerings I seem to simply get lost. Okay, this movie was easier to follow that some of the others that I have seen, but it seemed to be problematic at best, and did not really come to some decent ending.

What I did gather from this movie is that it is about a special forces group in Ancient China who are raised as Imperial guards from when they are children. It seems that one of the Emperor's seals are stolen and the head of the guards is tasked to try and return it. The guards are given 14 swords, each one of them having a special purpose in their task to maintain order throughout the empire. The last blade, the 14th blade, is specifically used to commit suicide in the event of a failure.

As mentioned, the movie was a little eclectic at the beginning, but it settled down a bit in the middle and it was easier to follow, though it still felt many of the scenes were simply thrown together simply for the purpose of having a scene with a lot of sword fighting and martial arts. Okay, that might have worked in some movies, but the earlier movies seemed to work, where as this one did not. Maybe it also has to do with the people doing the subtitles simply did not do a good job because not only do you have to read them, but you have to digest them as well. Still, I was able to watch Amelie with no problem despite not understanding a word of French.

Donnie does it again

[blackmamba99971 · 10/10 · 24 January 2011]

What a great look at how the Chinese days of old used to be. A prince who was using his position of power tries to buy three districts which are of value in a strategic sense. Buying these sectors gives the prince even more power to harness the people and use them as he sees fit. In the middle is one man who found out this coo and decides to stop it at all costs even if it costs him his life. Donnie yen plays an elite guard who are trained from childhood on up to adulthood to become the most feared warrior since the ming dynasty started. Yet before this can happen, in his early years as a child, he had to kill his own brother and emerge from a prison cell where they fought. His life then became a constant turmoil of emotions as he tries to cope with his brothers death by his own hand. In the middle are a host of other bystanders who help him achieve his goal of bringing back the emperors seal which could have made the district deal legal. Other bandits, mercenaries, cut throats, and a lone woman named Tuo Tuo. Her ability is using a technique of speed and deception, along with her arsenal of gifts, she also uses a unique tool which can spear anyone from any position. Plus another woman (Wei Zaho) who falls in love with the hero (Donnie Yen), does what ever her hero demands. It's a blend of a love story mixing with hard action at its best. Donnie Yen gives a brilliant performance as the ex Jinyiwei guard. A man who has nothing to lose, except his dignity. Wonderful acting all around, great music score, and beautiful fight sequences. Recommended viewing for this one.

Partly OK, partly disappointing

[sarastro7 · 5/10 · 5 January 2011]

Be warned: Spoilers will be mentioned here!

Several of the recent Hong Kong kung fu movies have not been the tight little village dramas of the good old days, but expensive and dark medieval adventure movies with legions of black-clad characters, organizations and imperial intrigues involved. Is it an improvement over the cheap old "heroic age" formula? I'd have to say no. Because, since the new kind of story is often less focused on one or two main characters, the whole narrative itself also becomes less focused; less tight. And with the main characters being dressed in dark clothes, everything seems less real, more grim and depressed; more shadowy. That's not what I want. I want heroes in bright clothes fighting in sunlight! So we can bloody well SEE their moves, you understand!

14 Blades had a good bunch of action and I didn't particularly mind the CGI, but much of it was also rather dull. And I really think the Asian tradition of having unhappy endings is getting a bit out of hand. Even in romantic high-adventure, they cheat us out of a happy ending and some much deserved love for the hard-travelling heroes?? I say thee nay! Just once in a while in these kinds of movies I would like to see love and goodness win out. Otherwise this just becomes depressing crap. What's the message supposed to be? That anyone who's been a soldier doesn't deserve a happy life? Puh-leeze!

This movie goes on my list of movies where the best thing about it was looking at the beautiful female lead. The delectable Vicki Zhao is unusually cheerful for most of this movie, which just makes it all the more dissatisfying about the down-beat ending.

5 stars out of 10.

Another Chinese tragedy

[john_amend_all · 5/10 · 26 May 2010]

The film started rather promising, but it ended by being a fiasco. The characters and fights look like coming directly from a game like Final Fantasy - with fancy looks, supernatural powers and exotic weapons - but unfortunately out of time and place. While some fights are entertaining and Donnie Yen is good during the short display of kung fu, the most part of the fights consist in a display of CG scenes and wire fu. All that would have been a little entertaining movie to enjoy and forget at the end of the week, but it's culminating with another tragic ending in the purest Asian style (in the same vein of Tiger and Dragon, Hero, etc...)

14 Blades - Implication for Modern day Customer service & Romance

[helena_yiu · 8/10 · 8 January 2012]

"14 Blades" represents the best M.A. movie I have even watched. Thanks to Daniel Lee who wrote this gorgeous piece of art work which portrays some positive human qualities lacking in so many M.A. movies. Qing Long (played by Donnie Yen) possesses some noble qualities of integrity, loyalty, commitment & courage, though a bit ruthless & cunning at times. Qiao Hua (played by Vicky Zhao) is faithful, gentle & optimistic. Another thing I like about this movie is that there are relatively few violent or bloody scenes.

Not a professional action scenes reviewer, I'd rather concentrate on talking about the movie's "Romance". On the surface, Qing Long seems to be using Qiao Hua for completing his own mission, but the trust between them makes their romantic connection very convincing. Qiao Hua, though a bit naive & ignorant of certain personality darkness of her hero, is actually fully committed to him for completing his course of action, thus demonstrating full customer service (we have to bear in mind that Qing Long is a big customer of Qiao Hua's father). Implication for modern day romance is:- Be fully devoted to your lover (rather than being over calculating) when you still have a chance & accept life as it is when you have none.

Qiao Hua shows a cheerful personality & maintains her serenity throughout the whole story, without the slightest resentment towards Tuo Tuo, who brings an end to her romantic journey. This makes her adjust better to the lonely life afterwards. Though the ending is a bit sad, it demonstrates how single women can still lead a meaningful life with the pure memory of delightful experience. This kind of attitude may sound a bit "classical" but forms a great example for people in turmoil situations.

I sincerely hope that Daniel Lee can produce more wonderful M.A. movies in the future, but with a happy ending next time. Donnie Yen & Vicky Zhao do create a perfect match on the screen ("Painted Skin" is a good example). Really looking forward to seeing them again soon in another great movie. Just to copy from Qiao Hua, "When there is hope, life is still inspiring!"

14 blades.

[sukhij25 · 3/10 · 6 September 2010]

At first glance "14 blades" seem like one of those kung – fu movies that tell an ancient story of the Chinese dynasty, how a hero with awesome moves kick butt and all. But out of all the movies with the same kind of background story, this one seems kind of special coz this one is kind of new age-y. I bet everyone has seen cool hypnotic movies like Evil Cult starring Jet li and the once upon a time in china series. Compared to those legendary masterpieces, has the modernization been that good an effect. I have to say no.

Watched IP man recently and was really impressed by it. (It's in my best movies list too ) And it gave me the feeling that the kung fu movie industry won't die after Jackie Chan or jet li. Coz there's a new guy in town, Dannie Yen. Doesn't seem like a hot shot action star but as far as moves go he is as good as any. Dannie yen stars in this one too and I gotta say I'm back where I was. Coz this movie certainly seems like a big budget movie than IP man but this one SUCKS A**. First of all the story is just a little bit effed up. Eventually you can figure out what the heck is happening and all, but initially, it's all just a big puddle of goo. You can't tell who's who and what's what. Like they expect us to know everything about the ancient Chinese history. Duh! Then again if I say that this is totally based on Chinese history I would give the wrong idea again. Because to me this seems like more of a fantasy flick. You know like something out of Final fantasy series. Coz the characters certainly doesn't seem like ancient Chinese to me with their more than modern clothes, funny mechanical contraptions and, get this, rocket launchers, for crying out loud!. When I say modern clothes you'll see how much the wardrobe of this resembles like something out of a manga. Overall this movie resembles a bollywood piece of crap than an actual Chinese masterpiece, (except from the little bit of kung fu it got of course) That's another thing that bummed me most, the lack of martial arts. I could see the potential of Dannie Yen in Ip man but here, they seem to have totally lost it. It's just a bunch of swords and stuff flying around. You can hardly pick out any actual thrilling kung fu. I thought people can do lot more these days when it comes to fight scenes but this Is disappointing. But please don't lose all your hopes. Compared to any other Hollywood action flick this is GOOD as far as the fighting goes. But in comparing with legendary kung fu movie like the Drunken Master this just . bites the dust.

By now If you are really up to still try this movie out I say go for it because of Wai zhao. Her sweet and innocent face always is something to behold. And Don't forget to see the old Sammo Hung in action. You know, the fatso from martial law. But when i say action, basically all he does is stand up and just keep staring!!!XD

Captivated & Emotional

[mommycoppel · 9/10 · 12 August 2019]

I have watch so many Kung fu movies. I love them. But I honestly think this was got me in the end more than ever. I had to hold back the tears. My heart was bursting. Also the fighting sequences were probably some of the best and creative I've ever seen. And that is saying a lot because some of my favorites are Shaolin, Three Kingdoms, Drunken Master (both 1&2), The Forbidden Kingdom, All IP Man movies with Donnie Yen, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Hero, 13 Assassins, Red Cliff, House of Flying Dragons, and the list can go on. It's not my favorite from all I just listed but it really captivated my heart.