Review: Kick-ass action

Storm Warriors
Cast: Aaron Kwok, Ekin Cheng, Kenny Ho, Nicholas Tse, Charlene Choi, Simon Yam, Suet Lam, Patrick Tam, Yan Tang, Tak-bun Wong
Director: Danny Pang, Oxide Pang Chun
Rating: * * *

This action-adventure, sci-fi fantasy has it’s origins in Chinese martial arts comics.  The film also happens to be a sequel to ‘The Storm Rider(1988)’ and the best part is that you don’t have to worry much about not having seen it’s predecessor.

The story, though in continuum from the first, works quite independently without having to cross-reference from the past effort.

Of course there’s a vast mythology to tap into but having seen a few Chinese and Korean movies prior to this one will help make things more comprehensible. . The core plot is set in a fictional martial world created by comic book author Ma Wing-shing. The film opens on a action set-piece. Lord Godless (Simon Yam), the villain, has captured the legendary hero Nameless (Kenny Ho) and many of his men. A rescue operation is mounted, but Nameless is poisoned and weak and he has to
send three of his group - Cloud (Aaron Kwok), Wind (Ekin Cheng), and Chu Chu (Yan Tang) to seek help from the reclusive Lord Wicked (Wong Tak-bun).

It’s an almost never ending saga, when one villain gets vanquished, the next one appears and then the next. So there’s plenty happening but after a point it gets tedious and appears overdone.

The action sequences are very much in keeping with the high standards set by oriental cinema.

The choreography is visually stunning, the live-action is impeccably designed and the special effects superbly integrated.

The acting is also well suited. Costumes and art direction also have a high standard. Danny and Oxide Pang have always managed to give off their best whatever the restrictions of their budget may be.

With this film too, they manage to make the most of the talents available at their disposal!