Storm Warriors....what a letdown....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Storm_Warriors

When the movie was about to be released, I told myself I must go and watch. But then the Star review was bad. It got 2 stars only. I wasn't about to let a review from stopping me watch this wuxia movie. I grew up watching a lot of cantonese wuxia stories, most of which were based on the books and comics which were also popular those days, like 六指琴魔 by 倪匡 and also 金庸 books. Those days the fantasy shown on the screen were very ridiculous even during those days, but we loved them anyhow. Flying swords and gushing winds from the palms were also shown but the technology wasn't that advance. They also had the characters sending their swords up in the sky to fight (remote controlled battle) and when their sword loses the battle, the owner will cough blood.
I have always loved fantasy movies, swordplay movies and also very impressed with the modern day computer graphics which fuel the fantasy movies. So when they said the movie is all CGI, I said never mind..it is CGI plus sword play stuff..should be nice. I loved Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon 卧虎藏龙 Hero 英雄, and House of Flying Daggers Ang Lee and Zhang Yimou did a fantastic job. The balancing on the bamboo trees, the roof jumping, water skimming ...I just loved them.

So, bad review or not, I went for the show. I told myself I shouldn't compare this with the earlier epics, this is suppose to be acomic turned CGImovie, ok. But still its a disappointment. You suffer from an overdose of computer graphics. I'm not against these special effects, in fact I love to see special effects. The kungfu ballet in the Matrix wowed me. The way Keanu Reeves dodged the bullet in the "bullet time scene" was really cool. I also love Harry Porter movies, Patronus, death eaters and stuff. Lord of the Rings was also fantastic. But here you actually get sick of it. There is 90% special effects and 10% acting , story and fighting action. I know we shouldn't compare Aaron Kwok with Donnie Yen

http://www.newsgd.com/pictures/ent_pic/200608040001_64578.jpg

in Ip Man

http://www.hongkonghustle.com/wp-content/photos/Donnie_Yen_Ip_Man_movie.jpg

or Tony Jaa, www.siamfoundation.org/wellworthwatching/?p=190

but Rain the pop star could also do a good job in Ninja Assasin.Photos from http://screenrant.com and http://www.crunchyroll.com
When you watch Red Cliff, adapted from a Chinese classic, it makes your heart go boom boom with the movies music and tempo. The actors made the show so engrossing. You walk out of the cinema thinking, wow!
The story line in the Storm Warriors is so shallow. The battle between Wind and Cloud was so long I kept looking at the watch. When the battle ended and you see the GSC attendant opening the back-door, you wonder "Eh? What happened to Heart and the dragon bone? Cloud died ar?" And when the credits come up, you walk out thinking "Ha? finished d ar?"