Zhang Yimou's SHADOW reviewed

Well Go USA
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Shadow / Ying

Directed by Zhang Yimou

Starring: Deng Chao, Sun Li, Zheng Kai, Wang Qianyuan,

Wang Jingchun, Hu Jun, Guan Xiaotong, and Leo Wu

China/Hong Kong, 2018, 115 minutes

Director Zhang Yimou's most recent martial arts (wuxia) film Shadow was released on digital on-demand, Blu-ray + DVD combo pack and DVD back on May 03, 2019. It was not until recently, however, that I managed to watch it (on Blu-ray).

Zhang, of course, has had a varied career, both in terms of the type of films he's directed and their reception. (He also has been involved in stage productions and in the 2004 and 2008 Olympics.) He is known for the films he directed featuring Gong Li and later Zhang Ziyi (no relation) early in their careers. His previous martial arts films include Hero (2002) and House of Flying Daggers (2004).

Whereas Hero had sections themed with different vibrant colors, Shadow features "a canvas of inky blacks and greys punctuated with bursts of color from the blood of the defeated" (Well Go USA's spot-on description). Set in an ancient period in which three rival kingdoms competed for power, including control of a great walled city, the film's title comes from the look-alike (i.e., a "shadow") that an injured military commander employs to convince others that he is still alive and healthy.

Shadow has a good story line and terrific action sequences. It also has a fanciful use of umbrellas as deadly weapons! Definitely a "must-see."

Disc Specs:
-- Audio
    -- Mandarin Dolby Atmos in Dolby True HD
    --  English Dolby Digital 5.1
-- Subtitles
    -- English
    -- Traditional Chinese
    -- Simplified Chinese
-- Bonus
    -- Making Of
      -- About the Double
      -- The Director
      -- The Unknown Side of Zhang Yimou
      -- Behind the Scenes
      -- Heroes
      -- Deng Chao
      -- Zheng Kai
  -- International Trailer
  -- U.S. Trailer
-- Previews
    -- Ip Man 4
    -- Legend of the Demon Cat
    -- Better Days
    -- Freaks

AsianCIneFest Rating: 3.5 out of 4 stars; highly recommended

Shadow is available from Amazon Prime (click here), on 4K UHD + Blu-ray, Blu-ray + DVD combo pack, and DVD  

SWORD MASTER debuts on Blu-ray & DVD today

Well Go USA

Entertainment

Presents

 Sword Master / San shao ye de jian

Directed by Derek Yee

Hong Kong/China. 2016, 105 minutes

Hong Kong cinema giants Derek Yee (Triple Tap) and Tsui Hark (Flying Swords of Dragon Gate) join forces for an epic remake of 1977’s Death Duel, when the wuxia martial arts extravaganza Sword Master debuts on Blu-ray™ and DVD today, Tuesday, April 11th from Well Go USA Entertainment. (It's been available on digital since March 7th.)

Visually opulent, the film follows a master swordsman who must once again wield his weapon against those who threaten his desire to live in peace. Sword Master stars Kenny Lin (The Taking of Tiger Mountain), Peter Ho (The Monkey King), Yiyan Jiang (Reign of Assassins) and Mengjie Jiangin (Kung Fu Hero). Bonus materials include the featurette “Mastering the Sword.”

Synopsis:
A powerful swordsman is haunted by the destructive impact his deadly talents have on others. Weary of the bloodshed and violence from the martial arts world, he banishes himself to the humble life of a vagrant, wandering the fringes of society. But his violent past refuses to let him go quietly. The master swordsman must regain the ability to wield his sword and fight those disrupting the peace he so desperately craves.

Bonus Materials Include:
-- “Mastering the Sword” featurette

AsianCineFest Rating: 3 out of 4 stars; a good martial arts action flick.

SWORD MASTER coming to Blu-ray & DVD on April 11th from Well Go USA

Well Go USA

Entertainment

presents

Sword Master / San shao ye de jian

Directed by Derek Yee

Hong Kong/China. 2016, 105 minutes

Hong Kong cinema giants Derek Yee (Triple Tap) and Tsui Hark (Flying Swords of Dragon Gate) join forces for an epic remake of 1977’s Death Duel, when the wuxia martial arts extravaganza Sword Master debuts on Blu-ray™ and DVD April 11th from Well Go USA Entertainment. (It's been available on digital since March 7th.)

Visually opulent, the film follows a master swordsman who must once again wield his weapon against those who threaten his desire to live in peace. Sword Master stars Kenny Lin (The Taking of Tiger Mountain), Peter Ho (The Monkey King), Yiyan Jiang (Reign of Assassins) and Mengjie Jiangin (Kung Fu Hero). Bonus materials include the featurette “Mastering the Sword.”

Synopsis:
A powerful swordsman is haunted by the destructive impact his deadly talents have on others. Weary of the bloodshed and violence from the martial arts world, he banishes himself to the humble life of a vagrant, wandering the fringes of society. But his violent past refuses to let him go quietly. The master swordsman must regain the ability to wield his sword and fight those disrupting the peace he so desperately craves.

Bonus Materials Include:
-- “Mastering the Sword” featurette

SWORD MASTER coming to Digital on March 7th; Blu-ray & DVD debut on April 11th from Well Go USA

Well Go USA

Entertainment

presents

Sword Master / San shao ye de jian

Directed by Derek Yee

Hong Kong/China. 2016, 105 minutes

Hong Kong cinema giants Derek Yee (Triple Tap) and Tsui Hark (Flying Swords of Dragon Gate) join forces for an epic remake of 1977’s Death Duel, when the wuxia martial arts extravaganza Sword Master debuts on digital March 7th and on Blu-ray™ and DVD April 11th from Well Go USA Entertainment.

Visually opulent, the film follows a master swordsman who must once again wield his weapon against those who threaten his desire to live in peace. Sword Master stars Kenny Lin (The Taking of Tiger Mountain), Peter Ho (The Monkey King), Yiyan Jiang (Reign of Assassins) and Mengjie Jiangin (Kung Fu Hero). Bonus materials include the featurette “Mastering the Sword.”

Synopsis:
A powerful swordsman is haunted by the destructive impact his deadly talents have on others. Weary of the bloodshed and violence from the martial arts world, he banishes himself to the humble life of a vagrant, wandering the fringes of society. But his violent past refuses to let him go quietly. The master swordsman must regain the ability to wield his sword and fight those disrupting the peace he so desperately craves.

Bonus Materials Include:
-- “Mastering the Sword” featurette

WHITE HAIRED WITCH to debut March 10th from Well Go USA

Well Go USA

Presents

White Haired Witch

Directed by Jacob Cheung

China, 2014, 104 minutes

Jacob Cheung’s (Twin Dragons) elaborate wuxia-fantasy White Haired Witch debuts on Blu-ray™, DVD and digital March 10 from Well Go USA Entertainment.

The martial arts extravaganza is loosely adapted from Liang Yusheng’s novel Baifa Monü Zhuan and stars Fan Bingbing (Iron Man 3, X-Men: Days of Future Past) and Huang Xiaoming (Eastern Bandits, Ip Man 2) as a pair of star-crossed lovers whose love could change the fate of the nation. The films also stars Vincent Zhao (Wu Dang) and features action choreography by Stephen Tung (Saving General Yang).

Bonus features on White Haired Witch include a “Making-of” featurette.

Synopsis: In the twilight of the Ming Dynasty, the Imperial court is plagued by corruption as tyrants rule over the land. With the Manchurians preying on a weakened empire, war is imminent. To save the victims from their suffering, sorceress Jade Raksha fights the soldiers who oppress people for their own gain. As payback, local government officials decide to pin the murder of Governor Zhuo Zhonglian on Jade, turning her and the members of her cult into wanted fugitives for a crime they didn’t commit.