Sword Master (2016) User Reviews

Wu xia revival flick with many strengths but some obvious flaws

[kluseba · 7/10 · 2 July 2017]

Sword Master is a typical example for the new wave of wu xia cinema. The costumes are colourful, the landscapes are breathtaking and the fight sequences are quite spectacular on the positive side. On the negative side, the special effects are exaggerated and overused, the story is developed in a confusing way with numerous flashbacks to hide the fact that the scenario is rather ordinary and the movie doesn't have the magic pioneer vibe of the original version called Death Duel in particular and the first wave of wu xia movies in general.

There are three elements that make Sword Master stand out and put it on a slightly above average level if compared to other contemporary wu xia flicks. The first twenty minutes of the movie are quite entertaining and feature interesting character developments, ferocious fights and stunning settings. The movie then quickly becomes exchangeable, predictable and shallow but its first impression is very positive. As a second element, the acting performances are rather positive even though they aren't outstanding or even moving. The different characters are credible and the actors and actresses rarely overact. Aside of one silly character who only has a minor role, the movie also avoids adding silly slapstick elements that wouldn't fit in. Finally, the movie has a great soundtrack that unites traditional folk instruments, classical music and a few modern sounds in a highly diversified and always appropriate way. The soundtrack manages to add more emotions to the different key scenes of this film.

Fans of traditional Chinese action cinema will surely be entertained by this movie even though it can't compete with the best genre flicks of the seventies and eighties. Those who aren't familiar with the wu xia genre should not start with this film though and discover the original films first. I was entertained very well and would watch this movie again in a few years.

Shaw remake is heavy on the CGI

[Leofwine_draca · 5/10 · 3 September 2017]

SWORD MASTER is a 2016 remake from mainland China of a 1977 Shaw Brothers swordplay movie called DEATH DUEL. Derek Yee starred in the original movie and he directs this time around, with Tsui Hark on producer duties. When I saw that this movie was from the mainland my heart sank, because, sure enough, it's a CGI-dominated action flick in which every sword fight is accompanied by CGI swirls, heavy wirework, and even CGI horses and backgrounds on occasion. CGI is always best when used sparingly and they go way over the top here, as per usual.

Story-wise, it's an intriguing enough film, perhaps a little on the long side, but it keeps you watching. The actors aren't that interesting although Shaw star Norman Chu has a nice cameo. It does pick up for the climax with some cool bits involving the skull-masked henchmen, and like most Chinese action movies it was made in 3D. I haven't seen DEATH DUEL yet but I have a feeling it will be the superior film, as most originals are.

The movie will not disappoint.

[sauravjoshi85 · 6/10 · 19 May 2021]

Sword Master is a martial arts action movie directed by Derek Yee and stars Lin Gengxin, Peter Ho, Jiang Yiyan and Jiang Mengjie.

A skilled swordsman who is haunted by his past leaves his deadly skills and starts living simple life. The movie is a cocktail of emotions, romance, revenge and finally redemption.

To be honest I am little perplexed about this movie as the movie has elements to entertain but on the other side the uneven pace also deviates from it's path. The action of the movie is praiseworthy but too much use of CGI results in lack of originality.

Acting is decent and Peter Ho was the most impressive of them all in the role of Yen Shin-San, he is funny as well as brutal. Lin Gengxin is impressive but is almost similar throughout the movie apart from his very few romantic scenes, he also didn't looks impressive in action scenes, Jiang Yiyan is superb and Jiang Mengjie also looked good.

Screenplay as mentioned above is uneven it's is going very fast and all of sudden it's gets very slow. Action and stunts are great but too much use of CGI works as a spoiler. Climax of the movie is predictable but decent.

Overall this is a decent action movie and can be watched once, the lovers of Martial Arts action movie will enjoy this movie.

Lame and contrite screenplay

[MovieIQTest · 28 September 2019]

Bad cast, pretentious dialog, childish scenarios, one-way predictable boring storyline....only the village settings looked pretty good, so-so CGI special effect which sometimes looked quite unreal and fake. There's nothing more to comment. Just another deadbeat Chinese Hong Kong shallow production.

This movie isn't perfect but it is visually stunning and a must see for martial arts genre fans

[kevin_robbins · 7/10 · 23 November 2022]

Sword Master (2016) is a movie that I recently watched on Tubi. The storyline follows a retired sword master who has moved on from his violent ways. When some former adversaries come into power and want revenge his days retired may be cut short.

This movie is directed by Tung-Shing Yee (Protege) and stars Kenny Lin (Young Detective Dee: Rise of the Sea Dragon), Peter Ho (The Monkey King), Mengjie Jiang (To My Wife) and Norman Chu (The 36th Chamber of Shaolin).

The settings, backdrops and cinematography were all absolutely gorgeous. The makeup, attire and props were all perfect too. There was some overuse of CGI but it was still visually stunning. The cast is perfectly selected and deliver strong performances. I enjoyed the choreography and action scenes; but again, heavy use of wires and CGI for many of them. I also enjoyed the dialogue and infusion of comedy. There was a "whoring" conversation that cracked me up. The background music was perfect throughout the movie to set the tone for lighthearted moments as well as intense sequences. The final 20-25 minutes of action was tremendous.

Overall, this movie isn't perfect but it is visually stunning and a must see for martial arts genre fans. I would score this a 6.5-7/10 and strongly recommend it.

the story of two swordsmen

[davidsmail008 · 3/10 · 12 December 2016]

This is partly the story of one swordsman who is good and who later trains another person in his ideas. The other person who learns later fights and kills the fellow who taught him, but there is no real reason for these two people to be fighting, and they had earlier worked together to help people who needed help.

Along the way, there are several persons on the periphery who make decisions that don't make a lot of sense, including a princess who thinks she is in love with the younger swordsman, although he has abandoned her several times.

Some people might appreciate the photography of Chinese landscapes. The swordplay is not particularly meaningful or realistic . . . a lot of it involves fighting ghosts or demons. So, it is not particularly good as a martial arts film, either.

When they fly!! 🤣 It kills the action.

[taibaebrahimh · 4/10 · 6 October 2021]

My family enjoy these kind of movies , as for me not very much.

Now that what i call a remake

[phanthinga · 9/10 · 15 July 2017]

Sword Master 2016 is a wu xia martial arts movie remake of a old Shaw Bros movie Death Duel 1977 starring Derek Yee as the main character now he back again as the director of the new version.The original version is not terrible but also not that good to begin with but the new version is absolutely better in every aspect.The character is more well developed,the cinematography is as good as a wu xia movie can get and the action scene is flat out awesome.I find the actors in this version fit with the story more than the old cast.The conflict between the two sword master played by Kenny Lin and Peter Ho is more fleshed out although some of the random stuff and a boring romantic subplot is still there but at least this time it not meaningless.They definitely up the wire work action in this one cause the original is traditional Chinese swordplay but it work well in this version.Highly recommend to martial arts movie fan

Handsome Shisan Yan

[eldenwang · 4/10 · 19 January 2017]

Rundong He's performance is surprisingly the best in this embarrassing movie. I am even shocked by the unreasonable and confusing character Yeqing Zhu who is asking "Do you love me?" all the time. The most confusing scene is that villagers blamed Yan Shisan for not teaching them Kungfu after he just saved all of them. What's even more unacceptable is that Shisan Yan forced into the town and killed all people near the bad boss and screaming "I will never be a selfish man!" Although many details in this movie cannot be explained ideally, the relationship between Shisan Yan and Xiaofeng Xie really moved me a lot. Two respectable swordsmen pitied each other's talent and spirit.

As much homage as it is reinvention, Derek Yee's update of his 1977 'Death Duel' is 'wuxia' cinema at its best

[moviexclusive · 8/10 · 12 December 2016]

If 'Sword Master' seems an odd entry into Derek Yee's filmography in light of his recent gritty urban dramas like 'One Night in Mongkok', 'Protégé' and 'Shinjuku Incident', it is really a return to his 'wuxia' roots. Together with his producer and co-screenwriter Tsui Hark, Yee plots his modern-day update of the 1977 classic Shaw Brothers film 'Death Duel' first from the perspective of Yen Shih-san (Peter Ho), who gets the first stylised CGI-heavy swordsfight of the movie on a snowy stone bridge duelling with a vengeful but poorly matched opponent Gao looking for revenge for his second brother. Yen eventually kills his opponent, but is told by onlookers that he cannot claim to be the greatest swordsman unless he prevails over someone known as Third Master. And so he sets out on that very quest, which brings him to the Supreme Sword Manor where the Third Master's Hsieh Clan reside. It is there he meets the Manor's Lord and learns that the Third Master has been dead for 37 days, a news he receives with disbelief and uncontrolled rage. Turns out Yen is afflicted with an incurable illness, and his impending death coupled with a loss of purpose leaves him content to live his remaining days in obscurity at a graveyard outside Bitter Sea Town.

Without any further context at this point, the narrative shifts to a drunk man who stumbles into a brothel claiming to be rich but is only found to be penniless by its Madam after overstaying five days. And so he agrees to pay his dues by working as their errand boy named Ah Chi (Lin Gengxin), despised by most of the arrogant courtesans except one named Li (Jiang Mengjie), whom he takes a blade for after two belligerent customers refuse to pay for her service. Though it may seem that Chi acted out of love for Li, the truth is far more complicated – lost and disillusioned, Chi no longer has regard for his own life, content to live it out whether in humility or humiliation. So before Li or the brothel's owner can reward him, Chi leaves and heads for a nondescript village to join the boorish but good-hearted Mao (Tie Nan) as a sewage collector.

By this point, it is clear that Ah Chi is really the Third Master Hsieh Hsiao-feng that Yen seeks, who we will learn through subsequent flashbacks has tired of the blade and duty to the clan after realising how his conquests to be number one have only led to vicious cycles of killing and revenge. Certainly, Hsiao-feng's past will catch up with him – not through Yen though but rather by his jilted ex-lover Chiu-ti (Jiang Yiyan), whom he abandoned on the day of their arranged marriage that was supposed to unite the Hsieh and Mu Yung clans. While it may seem that Chiu-ti is driven by hurt, it turns out that she is torn between love and hate. Whereas, it is her pageboy Chu who only harbours the latter for Hsiao-feng, thus setting up an ultimate showdown which pits the Supreme Sword Manor against Chiu-ti's Seven Star Pool and the former's other arch-rival Purple Might. What about Yen? We won't spoil the surprise for you, but let's just say that Yen and Hsiao-feng leave the best for last – and for good reason, mind you.

Rather than just a modern-day rehash of its predecessor, 'Sword Master' takes a decidedly character-driven approach to its storytelling, emphasising each one's motivations and therefore their conflicts relative to each other. Hsiao-feng wants to escape from his birth legacy as well as his haunted past but realises that moving forward means facing up to the repercussions; Chiu-ti too is trapped by her past but her wounded pride binds her and Hsiao-feng in a vortex of hurt, hate and ultimately harm. Yen, on the other hand, learns to let go of his obsession for prestige, and his unexpected turn as protector, mentor and buddy to Hsiao-feng's Ah Chi is a refreshing break from cliché. Li may seem like the blander female role, but there is a nice touch of irony in her (as a prostitute no less) being the virtuous one next to the vindictive Chiu-ti. Across the board, the performances are competent, if slightly mediocre, so it is a relief the well-written characters nevertheless keeps us hooked.

Just as, if not more, captivating are the visuals, which are ravishing in their own right. To be sure, Yee isn't intending for realism here; instead, he aims for a self-aware visual artifice of sharp contrasts, switching effortlessly between studio sets and CGI to achieve an aesthetic befitting of mythology and legend. That same sensibility informs the action choreography by Yuen Bun and Dion Lin, staged with elegance and grace in every stroke. Each action sequence of balletic wirework is top-notch, enhanced for depth of field to give a thrillingly kinetic experience for viewers, especially those who have the privilege of catching it in 3D.

Like we said at the start, even though 'Sword Master' may seem like an odd addition to Yee's directorial oeuvre, it is very much a distinguished one, informed clearly by Yee's own love and flair for the 'wuxia' genre as well as that of his producer Tsui's. Fans of the genre will no doubt recognise Yee's reverence for its tropes, especially narratively, and hopefully come to appreciate his reinvention of the visuals through CGI and impressive wirework. Oh yes, there is both beauty and thrill in the action, and 'Sword Master' is one of the most beautiful martial arts extravaganzas you'll see in recent time.

Beautiful

[vredenburghk · 10/10 · 13 August 2018]

So beautiful. Worth every minute. Definitely deserves more than a 6 rating

Stunning Return To HK Cinemas Golden Years Of Wu Xia!!

[Movie-Misfit · 9/10 · 20 October 2019]

Hong Kong powerhouses Derek Yee and Tsui Hark team up to bring this lavish, beautifully made production to the fans. A loose remake of 1977's fantastic Death Duel which starred Derek Yee in the lead role - both of which are a take on the novel by Gu Long, this update was made for the 3D market although still highly impresses when watched as normal.

While a little confusing in the long-run, of which I put down to its main leads Kenny Lin and Peter Ho looking too much alike as well as its interconnecting flashbacks, the film does entertain enough to keep you watching - finally ironing itself out in the later half.

With incredible sets and locations (some of which are CGI enhanced), beautiful costumes and non-stop swordplay/wire-fu action, Swordmaster is a stunningly polished version of films such as Zu Warriors; Swordsman 2; Moon Warriors; Bride With White Hair and many more - and to me, falls very easily alongside those classics as one of the best in its genre.

Kenny Lin (Taking of Tiger Mountain; The Great Wall) strangely enough reminds me of Kenny Ho (Red Wolf; Project A 2) and impresses as the lead of the film, hiding in a brothel and neighbouring village as Useless Chi, avoiding the troubles and nightmares that plague him from his earlier days with his father and cult leader Hsieh, played by the wonderful Norman Tsui Siu Keung.

Peter Ho as the tattooed face assassin Yen Shi San is just brilliant, with his opening scene on the snowy bridge setting the pace for the rest of the film and taking part in the most of the films major action scenes wonderfully choreographed by the fantastic Yuen Bun and Dion Lam.

With plenty of great characters and performances, there is hardly a slow moment throughout the whole film, with every shot beautifully framed and captured, it just keeps your eyes glued to the screen for its full running time. Swordmaster may suffer from a few minor CG flaws as well as the aforementioned story telling at the beginning, but its a damn near perfect wu xia film and one I have enjoyed re-watching time and time again...

Overall: A stunningly action-packed revisit to HK's golden years in style, Swordsman is highly recommended!

Great movie

[baekms · 8/10 · 10 January 2018]

I great movie as expected of Tsui Hark. I enjoyed as well the story as the great filming. It's a matter of taste, the last part I liked less visually, but as I said, it's a matter of taste. Nevertheless a great movie and I really enjoyed it.

Just what I love and missed in martial arts movie.

[freelanceimac · 8/10 · 16 December 2018]

Excellent movie, would definitely recommend, great story too.

Great movie, great costumes,Wuxia

[willowspain · 10/10 · 27 May 2018]

Loved this movie ~ did I understand it all? nope - but I loved it anyway. The dramatic costumes made this so much fun and a little romance made it enjoyable for someone like me who doesn't know all the Asian innuendo.

Motivational moview

[af705 · 9/10 · 26 July 2021]

If you want a movie that will provoke you to perform at your best, this is it.

Very decent movie. You can't even stand for a moment

[grewallucky · 8/10 · 27 December 2018]

Very good movie. Late evening after dinner , relaxing movie. You can't even stand for a moment or get bored. Good place and good character builder movie.

How anyone can give 4 star for such a good movie. 8 star movie

[grewallucky · 8/10 · 27 December 2018]

Don't see the lower star ratings. It's very good decent late night movie. Entertaining and stick on your seats. Good characters.