Jian yu

In the Ming Dynasty, there was a legend about the mystical powers of the missing remains of an Indian Buddhist monk that would be capable to heal anything and would become a great kung-fu fighter.

When the leader of the Dark Stone gang Cao Feng (Xueqi Wang) discovers that Prime Minister Zhang possesses half of the powerful remains, he sends a team of assassins to kill the minister and his son Zhang Renfeng (Xiaodong Guo). However, the skilled Xi Yu (Kelly Lin) flees with the remains and kills Renfeng, who fall off a bridge in a river. Then Xi Yu meets the monk Wisdom that advises her that she has four flaws fighting with her sword and she might be killed by Cao Feng that has trained her.

Xi Yu goes to the renowned plastic surgeon Dr. Li that changes her face and she decides to start a new life in a small village. She assumes the identity of Zeng Jing (Michelle Yeoh) and poses of merchant, and soon she marries the quiet and clumsy Jiang A-sheng (Woo-sung Jung). When there is a robbery in the local bank, Zeng Jing is forced to fight to protect her and her husband from being killed, disclosing her skills to Cao Feng. Now he sends Lei Bin (Shawn Yue), Lian Sheng (Leon Dai) and Ye Zhanqing (Barbie Hsu), who are his three best assassins, to retrieve the remains and kill Zeng Jing and her beloved husband.

The talented Michelle Yeoh is one of the most beautiful Chinese actresses and her movies are usually great. In "Jianyu", a.k.a. "Reign of Assassins", we have not only Michelle Yeoh, but also the hands of John Woo. The result is a great film of the genre, with predictable but not less engaging twists and a romantic conclusion.

The choreography of sword fights is breathtaking and the music score is wonderful. Fans of the genre will certainly adore the awarded "Jianyu". My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Reino dos Assassinos" ("Reign of the Assassins")

Excellent wuxia pan with Yeoh in top form dramatically as well as in weapons work. It was refreshing to see the pan-Asian casting done for specifically appropriate characters and acting ability, but without much overt typecasting. Wang Xueqi anchors the film opposite Yeoh more than Jung perhaps, but in the best genre fashion the villains are given gradation and more complex motive and arc than one often sees in action film.

An initial introductory sequence put me off, with a lot of intermittent cinematography and freeze-frames on specific characters. Fortunately, this device is not repeated or characteristic. Kam's score is more understated than usual, and plays well with string accompaniment to the more tightly choreographed parts. Leon Dai's assassin styles and names himself after a Taoist Magician, which initially seemed too light. However, this changed quickly, and although he lent much color to later scenes the overall tone fit well.

It's got a very classic feel, applying wirework sparingly and focusing on the intertwined dialogue and motives of a large cast within the jiang hu milieu. The fights are intricate, concentrating on exotic weapons and styles, but mixing it up with some proxy fighting and concealed technique. It neatly avoids recently popular pitfalls such as overt cgi spectacle, massing sheer volumes of Mainland extras, or lingering on glamour shots of pecs and shimmering hair weaves. Instead, we get clearly delineated spaces for a series of crafted set pieces which fit into a whole - not something to be written around by committee. Hopefully, fans will respond and more filmmakers take notice.

This review does not contain any spoilers.

As a born and bred Chinese, I have seen my share of Chinese Martial arts movies. The Reign of Assassins gave me the feeling of watching one of the great classics. It's story is not the most original, but it gives a nice background for the viewer to see the beautiful acting and action scenes. At times it's a love story at others a suspense flick with all the intrigue. The actors do a good job in conveying their emotions to the audience. Most of the characters get fleshed out, so your not only interested in the main characters. Story wise I have to say that some of the things were a bit confusing, but if you paid attention it all made sense.

The action scenes are plenty and well choreographed. The fighting was made believable, nothing was over the top. I especially liked how the action sometimes slows down just to show the viewer how things are done. This brings the action more to life and you actually notice all the small gestures the actors need to make in order to sway or dodge an attack.

Overall I liked the movie and I highly recommend fans of the genre to watch it. I surely enjoyed it.

I really enjoyed this movie and have to say its one of the best movies of this genre that I have seen in awhile.

The fight scenes were good, nothing that disregards the laws of physics and gravity too much. Quick action sequences, no shots that goes in slow motion and focuses on the flow of the hair kind of effects. The characters are so-so. I will not say that they are overly interesting but they don't distract from the story either.

The best part of the movie for me was how it actually caught me off guard. The plot twist actually made me laugh as I never saw it coming and I thought I have seen it all in martial art movies.

There are some parts that are funny some that are sexy. parts that are exciting and parts that are wholesome. I really recommend this movie. Don't let the rather formulaic and somewhat confusing opening throw you off. Its good :)

This is for sure a good movie to watch!!!

Maybe after Crouching Tiger.. this is a movie that I watched more than ones...

The action scenes are not too hyped.. and do not defy gravity...

The screenplay was well done

Plot of the movie was also well built and the characters keep opening up one after the other.

Of course there was age showing on Michelle but still she has that ability left in her to take up these roles and live to the expectations.

Definitely a good movie to watch..