Genre: Wuxia

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

However challenging – and at times frustrating – this swordplay drama is, there’s nonetheless enough reasons to stay watching and endure to the conclusion.

‘Come Drink With Me’ has convinced me of King Hu’s mastery of film-making and I would certainly consider his work here to be almost equal to the best of Chang Cheh and Liu Chia-Liang.

The fights are almost seamlessly integrated and amongst some of the best on offer for a few years even if they are not new by Jade screen standards.

‘Curse Of The Golden Flower’ is another sign of the growing confidence of Chinese cinema, the imagination of Zhang Yimou and the iconic status of Gong Li and Chow Yun-Fat.

If you like your early 90s wuxia flicks full of excessive theatrical action and characters then ‘Deadful Melody’ is a lot of fun.

‘Death Duel’ is a bleak, nihilistic swordplay film that embodies all of the qualities that one expects from a Chor Yuen adaptation of a Gu Long story.

Mainstream Hong Kong cinema has often embraced the bizarre and the baffling, but ‘Demon Of The Lute’ may be a step too far for many.

‘Dragon Inn’ doesn’t quite compete with ‘A Touch Of Zen’ and ‘Come Drink With Me’, but anything to be criticised here is a mere niggle rather than a detrimental flaw.

‘Duel To The Death’ is ostentatious proof director Ching Siu Tung is not someone merely told where to put the camera.

Those less critical may get more out of ‘Flying Swords’ as there is still a lot of high flying action on offer, despite it being stuffed with CGI, and the film certainly has a rich visual style.

‘Fong Sai Yuk’ may not be the best kung fu film ever made, but it doesn’t disappoint and is highly recommended viewing.