Cast Member: Ku Kuan-Chung

‘Clan Of Amazons’ is an elegant swordplay film that shows how entertaining the genre can be when the various components are properly blended.

‘Gallants’ is, for the most part, a refreshing diversion that allows stars of the past to remind modern viewers that they still have much to offer to the future of Hong Kong cinema.

‘Heroes Shed No Tears’ is the kind of complex swordplay film that was attempted after the demise of the Shaw Brothers movie making empire, but often lacked the skilled control that Chor Yuen offered.

The plot is all over the place and covers all areas mentioned in my opening paragraph, but as ever, it is only there to give people a reason to fight.

‘Legend Of The Bat’ suffers from the same problems as its predecessor, namely its headache-inducing twists and turns.

This is a rollicking action-adventure that is packed with top kung fu entertainment but because of a lack of depth misses out on a higher grade.

‘Opium and the Kung Fu Master’ is top-notch old school action but it can’t quite get away from some things that used to mar such films.

The real draw, and the skill of Chor Yuen, is to make an ensemble of eccentrics, oddball antagonists and superheroes appealing and a means of covering up the unapologetic holes in the narrative.

There’s therefore much to recommend this superior sequel, a film that takes the best elements of the original and invites viewers to contemplate a message beyond the common expectations of the genre.

It may be a routine swordplay flick that ambles along with little revolutionary, but ‘Roving Swordsman’ is nonetheless watchable enough to warrant a purchase.

While I normally find myself quite happy to suspend disbelief for a Gu Long/Chor Yuen collaboration, ‘Swordsman And Enchantress’ is a real test of my patience.

It can not be regarded as a classic of the genre, but can be hailed as a valiant attempt at faithfully adapting difficult source material.