Wu Xia (film)
Encyclopedia
Wu Xia or Swordsmen is a 2011 martial arts thriller film directed by Peter Chan
and starring Donnie Yen
, Takeshi Kaneshiro
and Tang Wei
. Yen also served as the film's action director. It premiered on 13 May 2011 at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival
in the Midnight Screenings category. Donnie Yen and Peter Chan presided over the lighting of a billboard for Wu Xia that broke the Guinness Book of World Records for its size, 3591 square meters, previously held by a poster for a Michael Jackson
album.
era, at Liu Village on the border of Yunnan
, China.
Liu Jinxi and his wife Yu are an ordinary couple with two sons, Fangzheng and Xiaotian, living together in Liu Village. One day two bandits enter the village and attempt to rob the general store. Liu Jinxi happens to be in the shop and he fights with the robbers when they turn violent towards the shopkeeper and his family. He kills them during the fight. During an autopsy, detective Xu Baijiu, who is sent to investigate the case, discovers that one of the dead bandits was Yan Dongsheng, who is among the government's ten most wanted fugitives. The local magistrate is pleased, and Liu Jinxi is regarded as a hero by his fellow villagers.
However Xu becomes suspicious because he does not believe that Yan Dongsheng, a fighter, could be easily killed by Liu, who appears to be a mere paper worker. Based on traces of evidence in the shop and Liu and other witnesses' recollections of the fight, in addition to his extensive knowledge on physiology, Xu is able to deduce that Liu is in fact a highly skilled martial artist, as well as the actual events during the fight after noting signs of brain hemorrhaging due to an injury on Yan Dongsheng's Vagus nerve
. From subsequent observation, investigation and tests, and information gathered by his partner, Xu learns of Liu's true identity - Tang Long, the second-in-command of the 72 Demons, a group of vicious and bloodthirsty warriors of Tangut descent, who brutally murdered a butcher's family in Jingzhou
ten years ago. Xu immediately returns to the county office to obtain an arrest warrant for Tang Long.
The magistrate delays issuing the warrant, citing lack of evidence while actually soliciting for a bribe from Xu. Xu eventually obtains the bribe money from his estranged wife, who blames him for causing her father's suicide. After issuing the warrant, the magistrate informs the Master of the 72 Demons on Tang Long's whereabouts, hoping to receive a reward. The Master is offended and reveals that Tang is actually his son, and he kills the magistrate by severing his Vagus nerve.
The Master sends his henchmen to Liu Village to capture Tang and burn down the place. While Xu and the constables are on their way there, two henchmen reach the village and kill a villager to force Tang to acknowledge his identity. Tang can no longer control himself and he fights and kills the two assailants, one of whom is the Master's wife. The remaining villagers retreat to a fortress to hide from the 72 Demons while Tang and Xu stay behind. In the meantime Xu devises a plan, utilising his knowledge of physiology, for Tang to fake his death so the 72 Demons will no longer harass him. When the Demons arrive they lament over Tang's death but Xu knows that Tang cannot remain in his "death" state for too long so when time is up he revives Tang. Tang severs his left arm in front of the Demons, announcing that he has formally broken ties with them, but they also tell him that the Master is waiting for him at his house.
When Tang reaches home he sees that the Master has taken his family hostage. After a tense encounter, the Master declares that he will let Tang go but he must take Xiaotian's blood as a trade. Tang is enraged and he attacks the Master with a broadsword but to no avail, since the Master uses qigong
to protect himself from the blade. Xu infiltrates the house through a hatch and he weakens the Master's defense during the fight by piercing his heel with an acupuncture needle from underneath the floor. The Master is angered and incapacitates Xu. Tang continues fighting but is quickly overpowered by the Master. Just as the Master prepares to kill Tang, Xu notices the needle still stuck in his heel and takes him by surprise, planting another needle in the Master's neck. The Master is unfazed and mortally wounds Xu by slamming him hard to the ground. The top needle acts as a lightning rod, and in combination with the bottom needle acting as an earthing wire, the Master is charred by a lightning strike, killing him. Xu, with his dying breath, declares the case closed. The ending scene of the film shows a now one-armed Tang Long leading a normal life with his family.
describes the film as "a satisfyingly sinewy fusion of martial-arts actioner and brain-tickling noir from busy producer-director Peter Ho-sun Chan. Channeling David Cronenberg's A History of Violence
by way of 1917 China, this clever if over-amped thriller tackles themes of identity, honor and the latent killer instinct with a playful spirit that's never at odds with its underlying seriousness." Maggie Lee of The Hollywood Reporter
describes it as "an exhilarating martial arts entertainment that modernizes the genre while re-emphasizing its strong points."
(1967), the film directed by Chang Cheh
that propelled actor Jimmy Wang (who played the titular protagonist) to stardom. Peter Chan explained that Wu Xia is a homage to One-Armed Swordsman, but not a remake or re-imagination in any form. The decision to have Donnie Yen's character lose an arm was confirmed after filming had started, and due to the fact that many people had the impression that Wu Xia was a remake of One-Armed Swordsman.
Peter Chan
Peter Chan Ho-sun , is a film director and producer.-Life and career:Chan was born in Bangkok to Chinese parents. He spent his teens in and studied in Hong Kong and United States, and he attended film school at UCLA. He returned to Hong Kong in 1983 for a summer internship in the film industry....
and starring Donnie Yen
Donnie Yen
Donnie Yen is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist, film director and producer, action choreographer, and world wushu tournament medalist...
, Takeshi Kaneshiro
Takeshi Kaneshiro
Takeshi Kaneshiro , born October 11, 1973, is a Taiwan-born Japanese actor and singer.-Name:...
and Tang Wei
Tang Wei
Tang Wei is a Chinese actress. She rose to prominence for her appearance in Lust, Caution.-1979–2006: Early life and beginnings:...
. Yen also served as the film's action director. It premiered on 13 May 2011 at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival
2011 Cannes Film Festival
The 64th annual Cannes Film Festival was held from May 11 to May 22, 2011. American actor Robert De Niro served as the president of the jury for the main competition and French filmmaker Michel Gondry headed the jury for the short film competition...
in the Midnight Screenings category. Donnie Yen and Peter Chan presided over the lighting of a billboard for Wu Xia that broke the Guinness Book of World Records for its size, 3591 square meters, previously held by a poster for a Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
album.
Plot
The film is set in 1917 in a post-Qing DynastyQing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
era, at Liu Village on the border of Yunnan
Yunnan
Yunnan is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the far southwest of the country spanning approximately and with a population of 45.7 million . The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders Burma, Laos, and Vietnam.Yunnan is situated in a mountainous area, with...
, China.
Liu Jinxi and his wife Yu are an ordinary couple with two sons, Fangzheng and Xiaotian, living together in Liu Village. One day two bandits enter the village and attempt to rob the general store. Liu Jinxi happens to be in the shop and he fights with the robbers when they turn violent towards the shopkeeper and his family. He kills them during the fight. During an autopsy, detective Xu Baijiu, who is sent to investigate the case, discovers that one of the dead bandits was Yan Dongsheng, who is among the government's ten most wanted fugitives. The local magistrate is pleased, and Liu Jinxi is regarded as a hero by his fellow villagers.
However Xu becomes suspicious because he does not believe that Yan Dongsheng, a fighter, could be easily killed by Liu, who appears to be a mere paper worker. Based on traces of evidence in the shop and Liu and other witnesses' recollections of the fight, in addition to his extensive knowledge on physiology, Xu is able to deduce that Liu is in fact a highly skilled martial artist, as well as the actual events during the fight after noting signs of brain hemorrhaging due to an injury on Yan Dongsheng's Vagus nerve
Vagus nerve
The vagus nerve , also called pneumogastric nerve or cranial nerve X, is the tenth of twelve paired cranial nerves...
. From subsequent observation, investigation and tests, and information gathered by his partner, Xu learns of Liu's true identity - Tang Long, the second-in-command of the 72 Demons, a group of vicious and bloodthirsty warriors of Tangut descent, who brutally murdered a butcher's family in Jingzhou
Jingzhou
Jingzhou is a prefecture-level city in Hubei Province, People's Republic of China. The city is located on the banks of the Yangtze River.Its population is 5,691,707 at the 2010 census whom 1,154,086 in the built up area made of 3 urban districts.-Geography:Jingzhou occupies an area of...
ten years ago. Xu immediately returns to the county office to obtain an arrest warrant for Tang Long.
The magistrate delays issuing the warrant, citing lack of evidence while actually soliciting for a bribe from Xu. Xu eventually obtains the bribe money from his estranged wife, who blames him for causing her father's suicide. After issuing the warrant, the magistrate informs the Master of the 72 Demons on Tang Long's whereabouts, hoping to receive a reward. The Master is offended and reveals that Tang is actually his son, and he kills the magistrate by severing his Vagus nerve.
The Master sends his henchmen to Liu Village to capture Tang and burn down the place. While Xu and the constables are on their way there, two henchmen reach the village and kill a villager to force Tang to acknowledge his identity. Tang can no longer control himself and he fights and kills the two assailants, one of whom is the Master's wife. The remaining villagers retreat to a fortress to hide from the 72 Demons while Tang and Xu stay behind. In the meantime Xu devises a plan, utilising his knowledge of physiology, for Tang to fake his death so the 72 Demons will no longer harass him. When the Demons arrive they lament over Tang's death but Xu knows that Tang cannot remain in his "death" state for too long so when time is up he revives Tang. Tang severs his left arm in front of the Demons, announcing that he has formally broken ties with them, but they also tell him that the Master is waiting for him at his house.
When Tang reaches home he sees that the Master has taken his family hostage. After a tense encounter, the Master declares that he will let Tang go but he must take Xiaotian's blood as a trade. Tang is enraged and he attacks the Master with a broadsword but to no avail, since the Master uses qigong
Qigong
Qigong or chi kung is a practice of aligning breath, movement, and awareness for exercise, healing, and meditation...
to protect himself from the blade. Xu infiltrates the house through a hatch and he weakens the Master's defense during the fight by piercing his heel with an acupuncture needle from underneath the floor. The Master is angered and incapacitates Xu. Tang continues fighting but is quickly overpowered by the Master. Just as the Master prepares to kill Tang, Xu notices the needle still stuck in his heel and takes him by surprise, planting another needle in the Master's neck. The Master is unfazed and mortally wounds Xu by slamming him hard to the ground. The top needle acts as a lightning rod, and in combination with the bottom needle acting as an earthing wire, the Master is charred by a lightning strike, killing him. Xu, with his dying breath, declares the case closed. The ending scene of the film shows a now one-armed Tang Long leading a normal life with his family.
Cast
- Donnie YenDonnie YenDonnie Yen is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist, film director and producer, action choreographer, and world wushu tournament medalist...
as Liu Jinxi. He is actually Tang Long, son of the Master. - Takeshi KaneshiroTakeshi KaneshiroTakeshi Kaneshiro , born October 11, 1973, is a Taiwan-born Japanese actor and singer.-Name:...
as Xu Baijiu, a detective versed in physiology and acupuncture who seeks to uphold justice. He is a native of WenjiangWenjiang DistrictWenjiang District is a district of Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province, China....
, SichuanSichuan' , known formerly in the West by its postal map spellings of Szechwan or Szechuan is a province in Southwest China with its capital in Chengdu...
, so he speaks SichuaneseSichuanese MandarinSichuanese Mandarin , commonly known as Sichuanese, Szechuanese or Szechwanese , is a branch of Southwestern Mandarin, spoken mainly in Sichuan and Chongqing, which was part of Sichuan until 1997, and the adjacent regions of their neighboring provinces, such as Hubei, Guizhou, Yunnan, Hunan and...
. - Tang WeiTang WeiTang Wei is a Chinese actress. She rose to prominence for her appearance in Lust, Caution.-1979–2006: Early life and beginnings:...
as Yu, Liu Jinxi's wife. - Jimmy Wang as the Master, leader of the 72 Demons and Tang Long's father.
- Kara HuiKara HuiKara Hui Ying-Hung is a Hong Kong actress of Manchu ancestry.-Biography and career:Hui's family moved to Hong Kong in 1966 and she started working at night clubs at fourteen. In her interview on Be My Guest, Hui revealed her family lost their savings from her father's business acquaintances...
as 13th Madam, the Master's wife. - Li XiaoranLi XiaoranLi Xiaoran is a Chinese actress. Apart from her acting career, she is also a dancer, having graduated from Beijing Dance Academy in 1993.-Filmography:-External links:* *...
as Xu Baijiu's estranged wife. - Jiang WuJiang WuJiang Wu is a Chinese actor. He starred in Zhang Yimou's To Live, and Zhang Yang's Shower. He is the younger brother to Jiang Wen and is or was a member of the Beijing Experimental Theater Troupe.- Filmography :* To Live...
as Yan Dongsheng, one of the two robbers killed by Liu Jinxi. - Zheng Wei as Liu Fangzheng, Yu's son from her previous marriage who was adopted by Liu Jinxi.
- Li Jiamin as Liu Xiaotian, Liu Jinxi and Yu's son.
- Ethan RuanEthan RuanEthan Ruan was born on 8 November 1982. He is a Taiwanese actor and model. He is sometimes credited as Juan Ching-Tien or Ruan Jing-Tian. He rose to prominence in the Taiwanese drama Fated To Love You, and is the 2010 Best Leading Actor winner of the 47th Golden Horse Awards for his role in Monga...
as the young convict, who poisoned his parents and attempted to kill Xu Baijiu. - Chun Hyn as the tavern owner
- Wan To-shing as Xu Kun, one of the 72 Demons.
Reception
Justin Chang of VarietyVariety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
describes the film as "a satisfyingly sinewy fusion of martial-arts actioner and brain-tickling noir from busy producer-director Peter Ho-sun Chan. Channeling David Cronenberg's A History of Violence
A History of Violence
A History of Violence is a graphic novel written by John Wagner and illustrated by Vince Locke, originally published in 1997 by Paradox Press and later by Vertigo, both imprints of DC Comics....
by way of 1917 China, this clever if over-amped thriller tackles themes of identity, honor and the latent killer instinct with a playful spirit that's never at odds with its underlying seriousness." Maggie Lee of The Hollywood Reporter
The Hollywood Reporter
Formerly a daily trade magazine, The Hollywood Reporter re-launched in late 2010 as a unique hybrid publication serving the entertainment industry and a consumer audience...
describes it as "an exhilarating martial arts entertainment that modernizes the genre while re-emphasizing its strong points."
Box office
The film topped China's box office and grossed over 100 million yuan (US$15.6 million) in its first opening week.Production
The idea of making Wu Xia reportedly started when Donnie Yen and Peter Chan were having a conversation and realised that both of them have a passion for the martial arts films of the 1960s and 1970s, especially One-Armed SwordsmanOne-Armed Swordsman
One-Armed Swordsman is a 1967 Hong Kong wuxia film produced by the Shaw Brothers Studio. Directed by Chang Cheh, it was the first of the new style of wuxia films emphasizing male anti-heroes, violent swordplay and heavy bloodletting...
(1967), the film directed by Chang Cheh
Chang Cheh
Chang Cheh was Shaw Brothers Studio's best known and most prolific film director, with such films as the Five Venoms, the Brave Archer , the The One-Armed Swordsman, and other classics of wuxia and kung fu film.-Career:Referred to as "The Godfather of Hong Kong cinema", Chang Cheh directed over 100...
that propelled actor Jimmy Wang (who played the titular protagonist) to stardom. Peter Chan explained that Wu Xia is a homage to One-Armed Swordsman, but not a remake or re-imagination in any form. The decision to have Donnie Yen's character lose an arm was confirmed after filming had started, and due to the fact that many people had the impression that Wu Xia was a remake of One-Armed Swordsman.