I hadn't watched this in years but this was always one of the more memorable HK movies for me, if only that it featured the two luminous actresses Brigitte Lin and Maggie Cheung in swordfighting roles. Well- choreographed swordfighting is poetry in motion and with graceful actresses as these, it's just mesmerizing.
With this recent revisit though, I've come to realize what else I like and dislike about the movie. Most of it is set at the titular Dragon Gate Inn, and it's a fun setting - a shadowy building made of adobe bricks in the middle of the desert. In there, three different parties covertly play cat and mouse while overtly bantering and taunting each other. There's much wit, even if it often borders on silly.
The biggest letdown is unfortunately the climactic battle scene. It starts off great, with the four leads fighting in a desert storm - glorious cinematography - but ends with the stupidest cop-out that is hardly befitting of what could've been an epic period movie. Pity.
With this recent revisit though, I've come to realize what else I like and dislike about the movie. Most of it is set at the titular Dragon Gate Inn, and it's a fun setting - a shadowy building made of adobe bricks in the middle of the desert. In there, three different parties covertly play cat and mouse while overtly bantering and taunting each other. There's much wit, even if it often borders on silly.
The biggest letdown is unfortunately the climactic battle scene. It starts off great, with the four leads fighting in a desert storm - glorious cinematography - but ends with the stupidest cop-out that is hardly befitting of what could've been an epic period movie. Pity.