![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() As seems typical for Chinese films these days, the CGI is generally atrocious, although it luckily is used sparingly. Yuen reminds us sometimes jaded audiences how much fun martial arts choreography can be. At times, the fighting is achingly beautiful, but mostly it's intensely visceral. The fighting styles are quick, but fluid, maintaining a rhythm that keeps the actors and the audience on their toes. Longtime Jet-Li action choreographer Corey Yuen arranged all the sequences in 'Wu Dang', and they're some of the strongest martial arts action sequences I've seen in years. Yang Mi is an absolute delight, a strong but also surprisingly gentle woman who can keep up with Yunlong both verbally and in a fight.Īnd oh, what fights there are. Josie Xu feels a little out of her league at times, but given the situation her character finds herself in, the performance doesn't feel out of place. You also believe the love he has for Tang Ling. Vincent Zhao isn't Harrison Ford, but he plays Yunlong with a sly sense of humor that stops the character from being too leaden. ![]() Luckily 'Wu Dang' also manages to strike the right balance of drama, adventure, humor, and character moments to make such comparisons flattering instead of detrimental. The image of the bespectacled professor who's surprisingly good at taking care of himself in a fight is not so subtly reminiscent of Harrison Ford's most famous role. When the seller realizes he's been found out, things turn ugly and Yunlong has to fight his way out. The opening sequence features Professor Yunlong appraising an artifact, only to discover it’s a fake. It's easy to see the Indiana Jones influences on 'Wu Dang'. As the tournament unfolds, many hidden agendas come to the fore, and everyone has to fight for their lives. He's not alone, as the precocious Tian Xin (Yang Mi), a contestant in the event, seeks the treasures as part of her family's heritage. Hidden throughout the monastery are a series of invaluable treasures, and Yunlong plans to take them all. He's taking his daughter, Tang Ling (Josie Xu) to a martial arts festival at a Taoist monastery in the Wu Dang Mountains. Take Indiana Jones, toss in a dash of kung fu wizardry courtesy of Corey Yuen, mix it all up, and what do you get? 'Wu Dang' is the result, a high-flying mystical kung fu adventure that is one of the most surprisingly enjoyable films I've seen all year.Įxpatriate Professor Tang Yunlong (Vincent Zhao) returns to his homeland of China in the 1920's. ![]()
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