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Cast:
Andy
Lau
Kenny
Bee
Anita
Yuen
Maggie
Cheung
Kelving
Wong
Chang
Yi
Action:
Ching
Siu Tung
Yuen
Kwai
Producer:
Chan
Pooi Wa
Director:
Sammo
Hung
Score:
 
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THE
MOON WARRIORS
AKA:
Moon Warrior
Year:
1992 Reviewer: Andrew
Saroch
With
the new-wave kung fu boom of the early and mid-90's, it seemed
as if any and every Hong Kong star was given the chance to
take advantage of the genre. Where there was a lack of
fighting prowess on the part of the leading star, there was
always enough tricks to give the impression of a confident
performer. The result of this period of film-making meant that
there were some classics produced, some impressive features
made and unfortunately some very forgettable forced on the
local audience. 'The Moon Warriors' could be classed as an
impressive feature; although not quite up to the level of a
classic, it is still way above average.
Fei
(Lau) is a humble fisherman in a small coastal village who
enjoys the simplicity of his quiet life. This solitude from
the troubles of the country is shattered one morning when he
finds himself in the middle of an assassination attempt
designed to ensnare a passing prince. Using his considerable
skills, Fei helps the royal entourage and guides the injured
prince to safety, hiding him in a part of the village.
Although from very different backgrounds, the two begin to
trust one another and the young fisherman is accepted as part
of the fugitive band. The trust is put into operation when Fei
is asked to locate and, as it transpires, rescue the daughter
of the king of Langling - a woman who was betrothed to the
prince from an early age. As the prince's vicious brother
continues to hunt the group, Fei finds himself attracted to
Moon (Mui), his new charge. Meanwhile the fleeing royal
discovers that there may well be a traitor in the camp and it
could even be one of his closest protectors. The emotional
turmoil felt throughout the camp is pushed to the fore-front
when the enemy closes in and targets the lives of the entire
village.
'Moon
Warriors' stands out from the crowded market of new-wave
swordplay films for a few very good reasons. The immediate
thing that strikes the viewer is the quality of the action;
although wires are used in some instances, there is still an
abundance of quality choreography that remains firmly on the
ground. The success of these sublime moments is largely down
to Sammo Hung's stellar direction - a reminder of the fact
that few can compare to him on his day. Instead of just
relying on popular new-wave gimmicks, Sammo pushes each of the
actors to their limit and, even though there is liberal use of
stunt doubles, the effect is impressive to behold. Coupled
with this is a storyline that starts off in familiar fashion,
but quickly becomes more and more engrossing. The emotional
nature of the characters dilemmas means that 'Moon Warriors'
is not just dependant on its first-rate action. By the end of
this ultimately tragic tale, the viewer cannot help but be
absorbed by the film's power. Each of the four popular stars
acquit themselves very well in this unfamiliar genre (even
though Mui seems a bit too old for the part she's playing) and
again increase the overall power of the finished production.
As sometimes befalls new-wave swordplay films there is some
moments which are bizarre and verging on the daft, but these
are few and far between. 'Moon Warriors' is a praiseworthy
effort from a director of definite quality; it's strongly
recommended to all fans of those involved in it.
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