Storm Warriors II

All of China’s most formidable martial experts are in chains. Wicked warlord Lord Godless (Simon Yam) has subdued even the best of them all, Nameless (Kenny Ho).
But in an unexpected moment, the heroes break their chains. Nameless marshals a cloud of swords and hurls them at Godless but the evil conqueror withstands the deadly onslaught.
The unchained martial artistes escape with their lives, but just barely. That’s 10 minutes of intense action and the movie hasn’t even started. Storm Warriors has started its blazing run across the Asia Pacific region.
The hype that preceded its official screening has been raging on for months. In a single sentence, it is like watching a gigantic comic book come alive on the big screen.
Ma Wing Shing, the creator of Fung Wan (Wind and Cloud), is a legend in his own time among Chinese comic readers. In 1998 when Storm Riders first hit the cinema screens, it was hailed as one of the most entertaining movies of the decade.
Now 11 years later, Storm Warriors returns to fulfill its long forgotten destiny. The saga of two famous Wu Xia (martial art heroes in the world of wushu) swordsmen continues with all the spectacular swordplay and fantastic feats.
The original Wind and Cloud in Storm Riders have reprised their roles. Aaron Kwok (Cloud) and Ekin Cheng (Wind) don’t look a day older even after 11 years. Aging is not an option in the realm of Wu Xia.
Lord Godless doesn’t look that mean even though Simon Yam puts on his fiercest expression. The villain’s armour is an expression of exaggerated protection.
Two pretty women make fleeting and insignificant appearances throughout the show. They are Second Dream (Charlene Choi) and Chu Chu (Tiffany T).
Basically, this is a man’s world and women seldom venture beyond the kitchen door. If you can overlook these minor flaws then Storm Warriors should be more than capable of tickling your fancy.
The sensurround experience during the show is enough to jiggle the loose change in your pocket. The background colours of battle scenes have been shifted to stun mode.
Clearly, this is not an ordinary film of the sword and sandal genre. Everything about it is of abnormal proportions. A swinging sword cuts through boulders. A moving hand lifts hundreds of swords into the air.
Among Chinese movie viewers, Fung Wan (Wind & Cloud) represents an animated and exciting childhood for generations. The fact that the comic title is so popular in Southeast Asia countries is evident that fantasies become larger than life, as long as technology allows it.
There are two ways of watching this movie. One is viewing it like a living comic book. Two, the viewer becomes a willing participant in it as if it is a dream. Whichever option, the staggering display of superpower feats and melodramatic pyrotechnics will keep your eyes peeled from start to finish.
The essence of Storm Warriors is still as traditional as Chinese dim sum. It’s all about love, honour, hatred and ambition. All these qualities have been covered incessantly for ages in Chinese novels.
The movie epitomises the finest human values from the ancient world. Perhaps that is what makes the film such a powerful attraction among Chinese audiences.
The swordplay is fast and furious and is chiefly the work of action director Ma Yuk-sing. The heroes’ blades of exaggerated proportions are successful in their application more due to artwork than handwork.
Aaron Kwok (Cloud) and his warrior pal Ekin Cheng (Wind) have once again fared fairly well in their roles. Even though their Wind and Cloud characters should have been fleshed out to give the story more meat, ultimately the fight scenes are what audiences will be watching out for.
Since Storm Warriors is a direct Hong Kong import, the dialogue is in Cantonese, and not Mandarin which is the official language among the Chinese-speaking nations.
Viewers who are strangers to the dialect will have to resort to the subtitles for a more complete understanding, as most non-Cantonese speaking Malaysian Chinese will naturally do.
The conclusion is an abrupt as it is apocalyptic. It opens the portal for an expected third instalment and if the total earnings allow it, Storm Warriors will surely return for another exciting episode, two or three years down the road.