groovycow

Just a note to American audiences...when Miramax released its dubbed "Zu Warriors" after Crouching Tiger became a hit, it chopped down "Legend of Zu" from 104 minutes to 76 minutes. Important character elements are lopped off, but I guess Miramax thought that helped the "pacing" of the film. Also added to the beginning is an introduction of the scenario and the characters by Zhang Ziyi's character Joy (dubbed again, of course).

If you insist on watching the dubbed "Zu Warriors," be sure to catch "Legend of Zu" first so that you have a sense of comparison. Or even better, watch the spectacular original "Zu: Warriors From the Magic Mountain"!

FIGHTING ACE has all the elements of a good kung fu film, from a revenge-centered plot to a lovable sidekick. It is quite enjoyable, and the fights themselves occur often and are well-choreographed.

At the age of two, Che Kao (John Liu, star of the epic INVINCIBLE ARMOUR) sees his parents murdered by an evil master after a kung fu book (or something; it's never quite made clear). For the next twenty years, he seeks a master to teach him kung fu so that he can get revenge...sound familiar? It should, but FIGHTING ACE somehow makes all the elements come together and make them entertaining. Che first trains under Master Yen (played by Kwan Young Moon, the superb villain from MASTER WITH CRACKED FINGERS), who is under contract to teach the idiotic Cheng--a memorable quote being "I think you really are a fool!" Eventually he must leave and train under three (count 'em!) other men, although he keeps respect for Yen by refusing to call the others master.

Along for the ride are Master Yen's daughter Shao Lun and fellow servant Shen, who serves as comic relief (although in this case the humor isn't overbearing and actually serves to further the plot!). Of course, as Che Kao learns his path crosses with that of his parent's killer, and the final fight is quite satisfying, albeit somber.

The fight sequences in FIGHTING ACE are to commended, including styles such as "fish in the water" and "butterfly falls to the ground," as the instructors call them. Each fighter also has a unique style and move that can be seen a number of times throughout the movie. This adds a nice dimension to such characters as Shun, who would be just a bumbling sidekick in any other movie; here, he actually saves Che Kao in the showdown with his rolling moves.

In all, FIGHTING ACE is a nice film, pleasant for the hour and a half that it lasts. Perhaps the best thing it will give you is exposure to John Liu and the guest star Kwan Young Moon (who gets too little screen time); I highly recommend their other films. My rating: 8/10

SHOGUN'S NINJA has so many strange and cool aspects in it, it's hard to even remember it all. Whereas its more fantastical counterpart LEGEND OF THE EIGHT SAMURAI (which even has lots of the same casting) is somehow too disjointed, SHOGUN'S NINJA remains cohesive and fun to watch through all two hours; I couldn't take my eyes off it.

The basic plot revolves around the dying Momoichi clan after Takamaru returns (played by Henry Sanada, in this role looking so much like NINJA SCROLL's Jubei that they must've seen this film). The clan members have steadily been eradicated by the evil Shogun (Sonny Chiba!) and so have to learn all they can to strike back. Along the way, there are so many outrageous stunts, traps, and elements that you will be unsure whether to laugh or stare in awe; more on those later. Takamaru is aided by a pair of kung-fu women (one of whom, Airin, is most likely the inspiration for "Tekken"'s Xiaoyou), the reluctant warrior Hanzo (who is quite reminiscent of Patrick Stewart with hair), and more ninjas than you can shake a stick at. Shogun wants Takamura's swords, because their blades hold the map to the Momoichi gold cache. This of course leads to confrontation after confrontation, with every weapon imaginable and more gory deaths than you can count.

But enough about the plot, which is somewhat tenuous. SHOGUN'S NINJA should be viewed for its crazy features. These include (in some semblance of order) harakiri, a circus monkey, slo-mo kicks, spider AND mole ninjas (not ninja spiders, but almost as cool...), an escape by candle, kung-fu handmaidens, execution by hot oil, human shields, a white-haired master, a booby-trapped forest (complete with ninja tack!), and a showdown in a rock quarry. Yes, that's right, all that crazy crap is in the movie; look for it all!

One of the movie's funniest elements is its music; everything from battle sequences to casual conversations are underscored by psychedelic '70s jazz. At first seeming inappropriate, the score grew on me as the movie continued, being edited in quite well and seeming to actually be written FOR the movie (a frightening prospect in itself!). While some might berate the soundtrack, it must also be taken into account that the immensely popular "Cowboy Bebop" employs a similar style of music that is anachronistic and yet creates a jarring shift in mood; in battles that would otherwise be fraught with tension, the lounge-style sounds kept me from being too involved and were, overall, entertaining!

In addition to the previous list of thingamabobs, SHOGUN'S NINJA still has some surprisingly reflective and artistic moments, from a staredown through steam to flashbacks of a pool of blood. The director obviously knew what he was doing, assembling a competent cast and putting them together in an epic movie that is still over-the-top. Be sure to watch this movie with a load of friends, and you will certainly enjoy yourselves. My rating: 8.5/10