Review of The Lost Bladesman (2011) by Emmanuel F — 29 Mar 2013

There are two issues that I have with this movie and most Chinese movies in general. First, the story flow is for the lack of better word, very 'choppy'. I don't know if it's a cultural thing or simply a result of bad editing skills, but sudden shifts in scenes without apparent connection is distracting. Second (and this is very apparent in this movie), it is hard for westerner without prior knowledge of the story to really take in this tale, simply because the movie assumes prior knowledge. There is very little effort to build up the premise and present the characters, viewer is dropped into the middle of ongoing story arc.

From cinematic perspective though, this is a gorgeous movie. Beautiful camera work, lavish battle scenes and astonishing scenery. For those reasons alone, it's worth to watch this one. It's a feast for the eye, but prepare to struggle with understanding the plot.