Shu shan zheng zhuan

I've read the the director made this film in order to present a vision that was not possible in the first iteration due to special effects limitations of the time. Apparently, he concentrated too much on special effects and left off the story. That being said, does anyone know if there will be a third movie that tries to concentrate on both story and effects?

The Legend of Zu has been a favorite of mine for a long time. Mind you this was based on the two times I have watched it. Read what I originally wrote about it: Zu Warriors of the Magic Mountain was and is an impressive classic! You never would have guessed it was made in 1983. Tsui Hark's use of special effects was very creative and inventive. (He continued doing in most of his later productions.) Even now it can measure up to other movies in this genre. "Legend of Zu" is connected to "Zu"warriors from magic mountain"! It is not necessary to have seen this movie to understand the plot of this one. The plot is a bit hard to follow. But to be honest it doesn't matter. It is all about the action and adventure! I always was wondering what Tsui Hark would do if he got his hands on CGI. Now we know, he made this movie. Maybe it sometimes is too much but the overall result is so beautiful that I am not going to be critical about that. There is so much happening on the screen, you simply won't believe. I think it is a big shame that this movie wasn't shown in theaters here in Holland. Because this movie is screaming for screen time in cinemas. This movie easily can beat big budget Hollywood productions like Superman Returns or X- Men 3 (putain merde, never ever watch this atrocious film. It's a downright insult to film fans and comic book lovers). The only thing I do have to mention is the lack of humour. In most of Tsui Harks's movies he combines drama, fantasy, martial arts and humour. Somehow it is missing in this movie. Again I am not going to be picky about these small matters. "Legend of Zu" delivers on the action front with the most beautiful special effects you will see. A true classic! When I got the chance to buy the Blu Ray DVD I did not hesitate a second and purchased it from www.dddhouse.com. This was based on sentiments alone. Now after having watched it I am almost completely shocked how badly it has aged. The once so impressive spectacle isn't that impressive anymore. Because of that I was able to focus on other elements a whole lot more and I have to admit that The Legend of Zu is not the classic I thought it was. However that does not mean it's a total fail. There are still some elements in the film that are incredibly creative and inventive visually. But the once gorgeous eye candy definitely has lost it's shine considerably. Could you fault a director for using a technology that is ever advancing? Well, judging from the few scenes I watched on Youtube I can already tell the original, Zu Warriors of the Magic Mountain, holds up better than Tsui Hark's second film in the franchise. (But I will get back to this once I have looked at the original more critically.) If I have to guess it's because practical effects look better than CGI effects. That and that other elements in the original are stronger. It's like Tsui Hark got completely caught up into the application of special effects and spectacle too much and very hastily designed the story and characterization around it as an after thought. Naturally this should have been reversed. But this could imply that at least the action is memorable. Which brings me to my main gripe with The Legend of Zu. There are only a few fight scenes that offer the action goodness I crave in these kinds of films. If you remove all the razzle and dazzle there is very little left to enjoy. The saving grace easily is the cast since they all do their best to take the confusing mess seriously.

So is this still worth watching? If you haven't before and love Wuxia and Hong Kong films then definitely. But if you are not a big fan then I can't recommend it since it's not an easy film to get into.

For more honest reviews check: www.chrichtonsworld.com

The Greatest "Flying Kung Fu" Movie of all time! And to be quite honest with you, I have no earthly idea what the HELL this movie is about... But it IS very entertaining. Almost every scene is crammed full of computer enhanced visuals and special effects. This is Tsui Hark's "10-Year In The Making" sequel to WARRIORS OF THE ZU MOUNTAINS. And it kicks ass! There's a whole handfull of wires in this one, but you never really get the chance to see them because of all the incredable action scenes that fill this "watching a comic book on the screeen" fiasco of gravity defiance. Since it's obviously based on some Chinese mythology or legend, which I failed to really comprehend, let me just describe it in terms that we can all understand... It's CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON meets THE MATRIX!

Tsui Hark's "Zu Warriors" follow-up is a feast not only for the eyes, but the soul. It tells the tale of a collection of flying mountains, where God-like beings reside. After thousands of years of peaceful existance, another God-like character (Insomnia) begins to one by one destroy their worlds, in (what else?) a plot to destroy everything as powerful as he/she. The film stars a cornucopia of HK talents, including Crouching Tiger's Zhang Ziyi as a young soldier, Sammo Hung (of Martial Law and 40 years of HK fight films), and Akin Chang, of The Storm Riders, as the last remaining student from a mountain destroyed several hundred years ago. It is also written and directed by Tsui Hark (HK's number one action producer) and features fight choreography by Yuen Wo Ping of The Matrix and Crouching Tiger. The film is Chang's, and his sad story of having no home, and pining for the woman (and teacher) he once loved is the heart of the film. Like many Chinese period pieces, it occassionally ventures into melodrama, but the characters and story pull you along, with grand help by visuals that rival any US-made film. In short, it is an epic. And a good one. If you love films that are massive in scale, with a little more intelligence and heart than the action schlock we see over here, you definitely owe it to yourself to check this masterpiece out.

This film, an adaptation of Tsui Hark's 1983 classic of Hong Kong cinema by none other than the original director is a visual feast of comic book style special effects and a superhuman battle between good and evil. This is an imaginative film, full of wonder and magic on an epic scale. Legends of Hong Kong cinema unite and come to life in this magical story of supernatural beings and the deeds they do.