With the HK period martial
arts film still dormant for all intents and purposes, Tai Seng is
offering another condensed TV miniseries. This particular one centers
around beloved martial hero Lu Xiaofeng, played by baby-faced Taiwanese
star Jimmy Lin Chi-ying, who also sings the main title theme. When
the kingdom of Jin Peng falls into disorder, minister Yin Zhengdao
(Shaw Brothers favorite David Chiang Da-wei) and his entourage set
out with a treasure map that reveals where the kingdom's thousands
of taels of gold are hidden. While his actions are traitorous on the
outside, Yin has done this to ensure that these riches do not fall
into the hands of those who crave power, like his fellow minister
Duan Yufei (TEMPTATION OF A MONK's Wu Hsin-kuo). Word soon gets out
and numerous swordsmen are on the prowl after Yin, eager to get the
large bounty placed on his head. While he is a charming sort of rogue,
Lu would also like to get his hands on the map and kidnaps Yin's beautiful
young daughter, Ziyi (Mainland actress Tao Hong), as a bargaining
chip. He quickly falls in love with her and, instead, pledges his
allegiance to her father. Although he gains additional allies (including
blind swordsman Hua Manlou, played by Thomas Ong), Lu faces a formidable
challenge from the Ching Yi clan, which has sway over Lord Zhengnan
(DIE ANOTHER DAY's Kenneth Tsang Kong) and is responsible for much
betrayal and murder.
Co-directed by Daniel Lee Yan-kwong
(BLACK MASK), Choi Jung-shin, and veteran action choreographer Ma
Yuk-shing, THE MASTER SWORDSMAN is adapted from a twenty episode series,
so events fly by at breakneck speed. The effort to accommodate as
many of the series' characters as possible also means that they are
introduced in a short, choppy sequence and then almost immediately
treated as familiar cohorts by the protagonists. With all of the breathing
room excised, events, alliances, and betrayals pile up one after another
to the point where it merely becomes a chore to keep track of who
is behind what. Consequently, the viewers interest will likely
begin to fade even before the halfway point. Most of the leads lack
extensive martial arts experience, so the action sequences rely heavily
on quick cuts and tight framing to sell their abilities. While he
boasts a sly look and ever-present smile, Jimmy Lin does not have
the presence to play such a dynamic figure. His work especially pales
beside that of Singapore star Christopher Lee Ming-shun, who is intense
and magnetic in the role of invincible but conflicted swordsman Ximen
Chuixue. Some effort is made to give the program a look and feel more
akin to theatrical productions, the costumes are attractive and the
picturesque Shanghai locations are fairly well served by the digital
video camerawork (though the dramatic sequences feature rather dull
color schemes, which further work against maintaining the viewer's
attention). Theresa Lee Yee-hung, Xiong Xinxin, Lam Wai, and Max Mok
Siu-chung (whose character apparently played a major role in the narrative
but hardly appears in this cut) are also featured. Incidentally, if
aspects of the storyline seem familiar, this is based on the same
seven volume Gu Lung novel as the big-budget lunar New Year production,
THE DUEL (reviewed in issue #116),
which featured Nick Cheung Kar-fai doing a more comedic interpretation
of Lu Xiaofeng.
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