This film is a bit like a Clint Eastwood film, even if it is very Chinese, in that one man takes on an entire city, where the crippled mayor forces the village beauty to marry him, instead of her missing boyfriend, who has gone away to fight for the communists (the film takes place during the revolution in China).
When he comes back from a battle wounded his best friend decides to squeal on him to the local militia leader and mayor. Our hero pleads with him to no avail, so he is forced to kill his friend after a fight to save his own life.
The battle between the imperial forces and the communists rages meanwhile, with more cruelty than one can imagine. But our friend is busy taking private revenge against all evil men in the village - pretty much like a Chinese Dirty Harry.
Absolutely smashing acting, lovely scenery and poetic! And lots of drama, drugs, violence and love - in short it has it all!
The story is told in a roundabout fashion, when hero as an old returns to the village, and remembers previous events, so it is a bit hard to follow at times.
Therefore, just 8/10
But a very good flick, indeed this Wu Ziniu master piece!
