A nameless swordsman (Ti Lung) grows up to forsake everything in his single-minded pursuit to become the next “King of Swords,” but the price of victory may be too high.

Norman Chu may have gone on to star in another Shaw Brothers film entitled The Bastard Swordsman (1983), but Ti Lung arguably played the ultimate “bastard swordsman” in Soul of the Sword. As an action-packed martial arts film, it is a remarkably sophisticated commentary on the modern age, loss of tradition, and the sacrifices one must make to serve his or her ambition. Of course the film is also full of gratuitous violence and sensuality, but the film’s message and excellent performances give this effort a real boost.

Ti Lung plays a nameless swordsman, who as a boy, witness a duel where the always-veiled ‘King of Swords’ kills a challenger. The challenger’s lover then commits suicide and this traumatic experience fuels Ti’s desire to grow up to defeat him and become the new King of Swords, a title bestowed by a wealthy official. After ten years of training in seclusion, Ti begins challenging the top swordsmen of the day. He then successfully fights his way into the official’s residence to seek a challenge with the King of Swords, who isn’t presently available. Ti confidently settles in as the official’s guest, befriends a local doctor, and woos a beautiful shopkeeper named Ho Lien (Lam Jan-kei) against the wishes of her would-be suitor Yien (Norman Chu). Ti eventually gets everything he wants, the girl and a chance to fight. But conflicts of interest between love and the sword threaten to cause history to repeat itself while those closest to him become mere obstacles and old enemies conspire against him.

It seems that most of the Shaw directors bring their own touches to the swordplay genre. Chang Cheh was all about heroic bloodshed and getting his male stars to look as macho as possible, while Chor Yuen was focused on sexual tensions and elaborate storytelling. Director Wa Saan was nowhere near as prolific or as distinctive in style as these two giants, but in Soul of the Sword he offers slightly more of an Westernized or early New Wave influence that attempts to balance action with a story reflecting new perspectives on an old genre. Most notably, the protagonist as played by Ti is a purposeless anti-hero who ultimately discovers that he has destroyed everything he ever cared about and never truly appreciated. This conflict is nicely wound up throughout the film and fully unleashed at the end. The story also presents Ti as a character representing conflict in the modern age where tradition is forgotten and the younger generation is portrayed as seeking success at the expense of others. Ti’s insistence that he remain “Nameless” is a challenge to the establishment and shows that he has even lost his own identity. This is really brought to life in the middle of the film as Ti makes friends for the first time, only to dispose of them later. His identity is tied to those he loves and when they’re lost, so is he.

The film is well thought out, but does neglect a few important things. At the top of the list is Ti’s training in the film which is woefully underrepresented. Also, Wu is not concerned with martial arts techniques or the fighting itself. Like the New Wave directors who would follow him, he is simply using the genre to tell his story. In that sense, this film could just as easily have been about a young businessman’s climb up the corporate ladder. Yet, with Tong Gaai’s experienced hand on the choreography and Ti Lung’s wonderful physicality, the action sequences speak on their own and present some rather memorable moments. A bathhouse scene has a bare-chested Ti Lung battling Lily Li who plays an assassin. Her role is much too small and a cheap shot of a double’s breasts that are meant to be hers are unfortunate. But the scene is quite fun, particularly with the witty banter that is exchanged. Even though subtitled and clearly missing the full impact of the dialogue’s intonation, Western audiences can still appreciate some of the clever lines tossed around the whole film. In one scene, an opponent pulls out his belt which is one of those highly flexible swords and Ti responds by stating the fighter’s “flaccid” sword doesn’t stand a chance.

The film’s action highlight is definitely Ti’s brawl with Lee Hoi-sang who plays a bald fighter. There is no enmity between the two characters as Ti is only proving his skills are good enough to challenge The King of Swords. Yet, the scene is tense as the two begin with weapons, but end up in unarmed combat. Fans may fondly remember Hoi-sang in any number of classics including Sammo Hung’s Dirty Tiger, Crazy Frog (1978) where he played the villainous monk with white brows. If anything is wrong with the action, it is unevenness when it comes to using some of the wackier stuff. At the beginning, fighters jump onto each other’s shoulders in a formation-style attack more common in a Chang Cheh film. But the climatic battle between Ti and The King of Swords has less schlock and is more classy and poetic as the two faces off in a downpour. Again, this reinforces the perception that Wa Saan was only toying with more stylish elements that Hong Kong filmmakers like Ringo Lam and Tsui Hark would eventually master, while continuing to ape the trends of the day.

Soul of the Sword is a really interesting swordplay film. It has a lot of conventional elements, but tweaks enough of them to keep the viewer interested. What really makes it work though are the actors. Ti Lung’s hairdo in the film with the high brow is a little odd, but he really proves to be one of the genre’s top performers both in martial arts skill and acting. His co-star, the exotic Lam Jan-kei is definitely one of the better actresses of her generation and gives her character extra depth, although she doesn’t perform any kung fu. You will believe that Norman Chu is the jealous, spurned lover and mediocre swordsman that he portrays while Lau Wai-ling is marvelously deviant as the dominating Lady of 3 Moves.

If Chang Cheh’s swordplay films are too extreme or Chor Yuen’s swordplay films too convoluted, Wu Saan’s Soul of the Sword just might strike a near-perfect balance. Some of the action could have been worked into the story with more flair, but there is plenty of that in the works of the aforementioned filmmakers. This film is just a wee bit more cerebral as it challenges you to follow, not the rise of a hero but the fall of one who never was. It’s a great story, a great message, and it just might shock you a little – which is a good thing.

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