A visually-arresting and emotionally-charged martial arts epic, Sword Master is a film that brilliantly incorporates the classic wuxia narrative with the use of modern filmmaking methods, in this instance, 3D. The movie is guided by the great directorial duo of Derek Yee and Tsui Hark and helps the audience plunge into the world of honor, betrayal and redemption which is both well written and created. It is about a haunted sword fighter Yen Shisan who is struggling with his killing powers and terminal illness and Shao-Feng who is a fighter who wants to establish his place. Their destined lives are interwoven in a background of political intrigue, violent warfare, and personal loss, with the final battle being a climax of the fight that brought into doubt what exactly is meant by mastery and justice.
The movie is strong due to its strong characters and the complexity of the story. Peter Ho as Yen Shisan has a noble tragic nobleness to it which is calm and tragic in a way and yet Ah-Chi as portrayed by Lin Gengxin offers a comic and emotional depth, she is a drunken layabout at the start who becomes a skilled fighter and the hope of the villagers. The story touches on the concept of honor, love and the destructive power of revenge all the characters have different aspects of those concepts. The fight scenes are carefully and gracefully choreographed, combined with the clever application of 3D, that gives even more importance to the movement and intensity of every duel, making it visceral and impactful.
Aesthetically, the movie Sword Master is beautiful, with detailed set designs, detailed costuming, and action scenes that not only reference the traditional wuxia but also challenge the cinematic norm. The score is used to complement the grandiose and closeness of the story highlighting the points of triumph and hopelessness. The philosophical aspect of the film, of whether it was more manly to kill or to save, is what struck me most, and lingers long after the closing credits. It is an epic novel in the genre of martial arts that uplifted its genre and made a great impact both in awe and self-reflection.
