Bichumoo director Kim Young-jun returns with his second swordplay fantasy. Although a product of South Korea, it’s essentially a wuxia pian, the Chinese term for a heroic swordplay movie. Employing the latest in wirework and other life-action stunt techniques, Shadowless Sword assaults the viewer with zooming swordsmen, exploding bodies, hail storms of flying stars, and attractive swordswomen matching their male counterparts with each sword stroke.
The post-production marketing for the film suggests something along the lines of a sword-slinging rock ‘n’ roll glam fest with star Lee Seo-jin looking like an Asian Jimi Hendrix and costars in heavy eye shadow and glossy costumes. Based on this, one could imagine larger-than-life superstar martial arts heroes with ludicrous fighting abilities battling their way through hordes of enemies with a twinkle in their eyes and a steady stream of one-liners, all set to thunderous Judas Priest-like metal. If nothing else that idea at least is refreshing, something Shadowless Sword achieves only in measure.
Plot-wise, the movie is basically House of Flying Daggers without the deceptions. There are other differences, but the main element is the same. Male-female pair, both with some expertise in swordplay is trying to get somewhere while forces are determined to kill them. In this case the beautiful and stoic swordswoman So Ha (Yoon Soy) is dispatched by Balhae military leaders to bring back the sole-surviving heir to their kingdom following the death of Prince Suh Yeon and the loss of their capital to Georan forces. Having become disillusioned after years of exile, Prince Jeong Hyun (Lee Seo-jin) is reluctant to accept the job. With the ruthless, revenge-seeking Kun (Shin Hyun-joon) and his Killer Blade Army hot on their heels, it’s up to So Ha, her sword skills and ideals to safely deliver Suh Yeon and restore the prince’s faith in himself.
With a story this simple, it seems as though Kim is trying to shake off the convoluted soap opera trappings of Bichunmoo. If so, he succeeds. Any genre novice could keep up with events without paying much attention. This allows for the film’s stylish action scenes to take center stage. Yet Kim may have stripped away a little too much. With few supporting characters of note, almost all the attention is focused on Jeong Hyun and So Ha. With neither possessing particularly interesting personalities, their interplay is routine and the dramatic climax of their journey less engaging than intended. The acting performances of Lee Seo-jin and Yoon Soy are fine, but the script doesn’t give them enough to work with.
Where the movie rises above the ordinary is where it counts. Veteran Hong Kong action director Ma Yuk-sing heads up the film’s action scenes, many of which are highly enjoyable visual feasts of martial arts extravagance. Ma’s wuxia fight choreography was last seen in The White Dragon and although his skills were very apparent, the film was not up to the ambitions evidenced in Shadowless Sword. Kim clearly wanted more out of Ma and got it. That said, there are times when the film’s rapid editing during combat scenes can be frustrating. The camera rarely pauses to let a shot sink in unless the actors are also motionless in one of their many gratuitous poses. But the pacing is excellent and the moves, no matter how outrageous seem plausible within the context of the mythical jiang hu (martial world). It help tremendously that the filmmakers frequently use live-action special effects and stunts alongside the usual blue screen CGI work.
The film has something new to offer, an epic underwater fight as the heroic duo struggle to make their escape in a city canal. Above water, members of the Killer Blade Army hurl a wall of flying stars (or shuriken if you prefer). Below, the flurry of bladed projectiles give way to a fierce battle as So Ha engages two pursuers while channeling her chi energy to keep from running out of air. The lighting during this underwater scene is darkly surreal, adding tremendously to the nightmarish predicament that the less-committed prince finds himself forced into.
Some viewers unfamiliar with the more extreme abilities found within the wuxia genre are in for even more of an eyeful. There is a bow master who unleashes insanely large arrows that decapitate foes with a single strike. The title ability looks like a simple sword stroke, but leaves its victims’ innards moments away from bursting outwards in all directions like massive firecrackers made of shredded cloth and flesh. These scenes may be hard to digest alongside the generally serious tone of the movie, but its all part of the experience.
Evenly matched sword duels are shown with a series of flashing close-ups of sword points, repositioning feet, bodies hurling through mid air, and grim faces. Although tightly edited, these fight scenes are clearly laid out and fun to watch. There’s nothing quite as jaw dropping as Ching Siu-tung’s bamboo forest fight in House of Flying Daggers, but Ma has definitely advanced the art of wirework with scenes that hold their own with some of the best modern Chinese wuxia films.
Production values are almost lavish, or at least have that illusion. A dramatic, Western-style orchestral score nicely matches richly detailed costumes and sets. Busy city streets and overhead shots of a bustling empire add to the immersion into a slightly fantastic world of the Korean peninsula circa 927 or thereabouts.
In Shadowless Sword, Kim Young-jun doesn’t really create anything fans of wuxia haven’t seen already. The script is weak with few memorable characters. Those are minor setbacks thanks to the film’s frenzied action and stylish presentation. Kim definitely has a good eye for crafting swordplay movies that shows improvement on his sophomore attempt. It’s just a shame that it has taken him four years to get around to making it.
by Mark PollardRelated Topics:
Shadowless Sword (2005) • Videos • Wuxia
