Xue zai feng shang

Uninspiring John Woo knock off in which the hand of distinguished director Chu Yuen can be spotted in a few striking images and distant overtones of his vintage SENTIMENTAL SWORDSMAN. Otherwise it's the expected Hong Kong - Macao Triads vs. the Yakusa, with endless implausible double crossings and shoot-outs, as false loyalties are exposed ("We're Japs. We're not easily bribed").

The Nips are planning a comeback over-throwing Waise Lee's mobsters, using the whore monger brother's gangs and disaffected Triad leaders. "In the world of gangs, peace can't be expected." Much kung fu and blazing away with automatic weapons

The old hands manage authoritative performances. Nicely photographed with diffusion and blue lit night, edited with straight cut transitions but it's just a mechanical working out of the established formulas. The familiar hint of anti Japanese sentiment surfaces occasionally.

BLOOD STAINED TRADEWINDS is an example of the heroic bloodshed genre in Hong Kong that flourished after the success of A BETTER TOMORROW. This one is rather cheap and nondescript, although it boasts a fine cast and direction from former Shaw great Chor Yuen, who brings some of his trademark moodiness to the proceedings. Alex Fong is a poor leading man in this tale of Triads versus Yakuza, but you do get others like Waise Lee, Carrie Ng and Lo Lieh in support and they're much better. The film has the usual gun battles and fight scenes to recommend it, but the plot is very familiar and it lacks the oomph and excitement of this genre at its best.

Blood Stained Tradewinds might be the coolest name ever for a movie. However, if you seen some HK action movies from this period Blood Stained Tradewinds is not something that you haven't seen before(and done better). I f you are like me and love the heroic bloodshed genre, you should get some enjoyment out of this film. Even if Alex Fong is no Chow Yun Fat or Ti Lung, he is accompanied by Waise Lee, Carrie Ng and a solid cast of HK regulars that are in a ton of movies that you will recognize. Although, the plot and action is very standard to Chinese gangster movies that try to imitate A Better Tomorrow, I still like the flick and is good enough for me, even if it is not a classic.