Watch this movie for what it is. A GUY MOVIE. It's simply a good kung fu flick. No horribly mushy love story, no long drawn out character development, no silly twists for the director to show how much better he thinks he is than the rest of the world, and no "indy" or "emo" blood letting or soul searching. There's even a valid historical reason for the Chinese to speak English.
The gunfire is underwhelming, while the "sorcery" and super-natural effects are very well done. It feels organic and an extension of the warrior spirit. Not sure if it was intentional, but this has the feel of "there still lies power in the old ways." Not over-the-top, for the most part. The final fight scene is a bit of a stretch though. The few "wire-fu" moments aren't over-ambitious, and serve to show growth in the art, rather than feeling like an excuse to show off (as in Crouching Tiger and the like).
If you're a martial artist, this film leans ever so slightly to the spiritual side of the art. Just enjoy it and try not to dwell on any inaccuracies. The protagonist is orphaned, taken in by a wushu master and his village, and through the years learns the secrets. He finds strength, and learns control. It struck a chord with me, as I'm sure it will with other who take their training seriously.
The gunfire is underwhelming, while the "sorcery" and super-natural effects are very well done. It feels organic and an extension of the warrior spirit. Not sure if it was intentional, but this has the feel of "there still lies power in the old ways." Not over-the-top, for the most part. The final fight scene is a bit of a stretch though. The few "wire-fu" moments aren't over-ambitious, and serve to show growth in the art, rather than feeling like an excuse to show off (as in Crouching Tiger and the like).
If you're a martial artist, this film leans ever so slightly to the spiritual side of the art. Just enjoy it and try not to dwell on any inaccuracies. The protagonist is orphaned, taken in by a wushu master and his village, and through the years learns the secrets. He finds strength, and learns control. It struck a chord with me, as I'm sure it will with other who take their training seriously.