Zu Warriors from the Magic Mountain; or, Folk-Tale Star Wars
Chubby, even though we are apart, our minds are together. I hope by the time I give you back this water bottle all minds are in unison, all wars have ended, and the world is at peace. Then everyone will live happily ever after.
Zu Warriors from the Magic Mountain is a supernatural
fantasy film from 1983 directed by Tsui Hark. It is the first Hong Kong
production to combine traditional HK action stunts with Western special
effects. At the 3rd Hong Kong Film Awards ceremony, the film received five
nominations.
Release Info
Directed by: Tsui Hark Starring: Yuen Biao, Adam Cheng, Brigitte Lin, Moon Lee, Sammo Hung
Language: Cantonese Original Title: 新蜀山劍俠 Runtime: 98 min
Synopsis
Zu is a collective name of a mountain chain located
somewhere in present-day Sichuan. Being a place of great military importance in
ancient China, it was always a battleground
between various warring factions. Nevertheless, it was also a place of great
mystique due to numerous exotic peaks and old temples. An army deserter Dik
Ming-kei (Yuen Biao) is accidentally attacked by vampires in a cave, but he is
rescued by Master Ding Yan (Adam Cheng). Dik Ming-kei does not realise that he
entered the underworld where good is in an eternal struggle against evil (controlled by the Blood Demon). Chung Mei (Sammo Hung) can hold the
Blood Demon in captivity only for 49 days until the stars shift. In order to
stop the Blood Demon, Dik Ming-Kei must find and assemble the purple sword of
Heaven and the green sword of the Earth in order to save mankind.
Two Blades to Rule Them All
Zu Warriors from the Magic Mountain is a classic
action-adventure tale crafted by brilliant Tsui Hark. I know that such a
statement will not give the film justice, but it reminded me in many ways about
Ralph Bakshi’s The Lord of the Rings (1978) animation, mostly because the two
pictures share similar fantasy aesthetics. Nevertheless Zu Warriors from the
Magic Mountain is a live-action flick which wonderfully combines old-school
wire work with cell compositing effects.
The only disadvantage of the film is uneven pacing. There is
a lot of stuff going on during 98 minutes of runtime and the viewers really have
to pay attention to what is happening. However, the film makes up for its
shortcomings with a zero-to-hero story structure, great special effects, and an
ensemble cast of magnificent actors.
With regard to performances, Yuan Biao is great as the main
protagonist. There are also amazing performances of Adam Cheng, Brigitte Lin,
Moon Lee, and Judy Ogg. Interesting music score by Kwan Sing-yau and Tang
Siu-lam also deserves to be mentioned.
The success of the film ultimately pushed Hark to release a
semi-sequel The Legend of Zu in 2001, but it was received unfavourably.
Allegedly, the director wanted Brigitte Lin to reprise her role
of the Ice Queen, but she declined.
Recommendations
If you are in the mood for a fantasy adventure, then Zu
Warriors from the Magic Mountain is the choice for you. The film is exciting,
funny, and unique in its own right. It is an unforgettable milestone from the
Hong Kong film industry.
Overall score: 8/10
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