O Tigre de Jade

Hong Kong cinema is nothing if not famous for its action flicks, particularly in the 70s and 80s, and no name is more closely associated with that glory than The Shaw Brothers. All the hallmarks are here in this 1977 piece of the studio's impeccable film-making: elaborate and gorgeous sets, rich and detailed costume design, smart and vivid cinematography, and above all exceptional stunts, practical effects, fight choreography, and otherwise martial arts action. Fine as the tale of vengeance, attrition, and intrigue is in and of itself, with some especially smart moments, at times it almost more serves as a vehicle for the visuals, as emphasized with the superb shot composition of filmmaker Yuen Chor.

However, lest one think 'Jade tiger' has nothing to offer beyond the spectacle for our eyes, the narrative on hand proves itself to be marvelously compelling: unexpectedly dark and violent, filled with dire turns, cold deceptions, stark tragedy, and a much higher body count than the average slasher flick. There are some points where the storytelling feels a smidgen weaker, or perhaps the pacing lags, and this is most evident in earlier scenes. In the back end, though, the action, craftsmanship, and plot all converge to a point of grim potency; it was only a marginal, relative shortcoming that held back the picture at first, and the increasingly vibrant conglomeration of elements more than makes up for that slight disparity.

It is true, perhaps, that there's nothing so special about this feature as to make it completely stand apart from its brethren. Yet the strengths that it bears from the very beginning only grow in their gripping, invigorating vitality, with a last punch of a story beat in the denouement that's just as wonderfully finessed as the most rapid, artistic swordplay. At length this is just about as solid a Shaw Brothers production as one could ask for, happy to quietly stun rather than to specifically grab our attention with outward bedazzlement. To whatever extent it doesn't fully make a big impression at the outset, when all is said and done I would enthusiastically suggest the title to anyone who appreciates movies out of Hong Kong. 'Jade tiger' may present as just another face in an admittedly greatly esteemed crowd, yet ultimately its fantastic quality more than speaks for itself, and I'm pleased to give it my very high and hearty recommendation!

"The Jade Tiger" is definitely one of the Shaw Brother's darker films. This selection has one the most bittersweet endings I've ever seen in this series of Late Old School films (1977-1983). The film has so many double-crosses and loyalties masquerading as betrayal that it's a task unto itself to keep track of the "good" or "bad" guys. And that's the whole point. Eventually the hero realizes the self-perpetuating absurdity of violence. Why are we killing this clan? To gain dominance over the Martial Arts World? To what end? This would be the sort of chopsocky movie Hayao Miyazaki would have directed if he had grown tired of doing kiddie anime.

"Jade Tiger" is beautifully shot, with the yet another flawless Ti Lung performance. It's a good companion piece to watch with "The Boxer from Shangtung," with which it shares many similarities. I had no idea Chinese dining could be so dangerous!

Solid action, with the trademark Shaw Brothers wacky scenes...look out for the guy with the exploding eyeballs!

An absolutely diabolical & manic wuxia satire of the clan feuds variety. Like the best of medieval Shakesperean tradition, a fanatical air of twisted alliances between members of both sides blur the line between good & evil. Sell out the ones you love to veil deception and to maintain their antic dispositions. You even sell out your headless self. For in the end, you justify your own morality with arsenic in your raised chalice and declare your crest the victor (if anybody's still alive that is).

Surreptitious loyalties exist in a maniacal framework switching sides as many an occasion as there's a hidden blade within a blade within a blade and with this, Chu Yuan's Jacobean flavored prism of blood, we are staring into two mirrors directly facing each other. Ti Lung walks the tightrope against type with his squeaky clean screen image. Like an evil inbred brother to the more insular 'Soul of the Sword', 'Jade Tiger' is Ti Lung and Hong Kong's Shaw Brothers at it's swashbuckling darkest. Yea anon, sharpen ye rapiers and let the bloodletting begin. Three and a half outta four kills.

This film essentially begins with a young man by the name of "Zhou Wu-chi" (Ti Lung) in the process of being married when he learns that his father has just been murdered by a trusted ally named "Shang-kuan Yin" (Ku Feng) at the behest of the rival Tang clan. Enraged by this, Zhou Wu-chi immediately sets off to avenge his father's death but, in doing so, encounters more difficulties than he could have possibly imagined. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this was an interesting martial arts film due mainly to the amount of deception and intrigue at each and every turn. Admittedly, as is often the case in films of this sort, some of the action scenes were quite preposterous, and the acting was rather wooden as well. But that was pretty standard for martial arts films produced during this specific time. Be that as it may, I still enjoyed this film for the most part, and I have rated it accordingly. Slightly above average.

Some interesting concepts are contained in this absurd but dark sword film. As in other Yuen Chor films there are a number of characters to keep track of but Ti Lung holds it all together. There a good number of wild martial artists including one with exploding eyeballs! It's a very watchable film filled with fights and extraordinary weapons. Unfortunately for me the drama went a bit too unbelievable and the plot twists required Ti Lung's character to be naive at one point but brilliant and cunning at another. A little more character development might have helped.

A good film with more introspection then the typical kung-fu movie.