If you haven't seen this thoroughly entertaining film before don't read the reviews here- just watch the film. Unless there is something wrong with you , you will probably love it, it's pure edge of the seat entertainment.
This (in many ways typical of his style at the time) Chor yuen film is an incredibly creative, action packed, funny & bizarre masterpiece of 'Chinese Mythological fantasy'.
The set designs are beautiful as always with his films- elaborate & otherworldly. The direction is involved,involving and often sublime. Its incredible to consider that this was nearly Chor Yuens 100th film in the first 20 years of his career !
The story is a rocker, a non stop adventure or betrayals, confrontations & conniving; with desire, love, jealousy & megalomania all part of the ingredients. The less you know about it before hand the better, it's easy to follow without being at simplistic. Some of these tales can be a bit too convoluted & confounding, and this manages to evade those pitfalls.
The acting her is a pure joy to watch, everyone is on top form, the interactions between TiLung & 'Lady Feng' (Lilly Li) being particularly memorable & amusing. The cheeky ,yet evil Candy Wen Xue-Er also excels.
This is easily one of Chor Yuens (& the genres) best films, with plentiful and excellent action by his usual collaborator (& LuiChiaLiangs old sidekick) Tang Chia -who Choreographed about 200 films between 1962 to 1984).
It's more lighter hearted than some of these tales, yet still quite brutal,and while less entangled in the typical WuXia convolutions it is also incredibly inventive.
I would however recommend watching other Chor Yuen films before this one if you are not familiar with the WuXia genre or his other films- its worth leading up to it and more fully appreciating how it uses & plays with genre conventions & expectations.
He made many gems before this film, many also starring Ti Lung including 'The Magic Blade' & its excellent sequel 'Pursuit' of Vengeance, 'The Sentimental Swordsman', the unmissable 'Clans of Intrigue'. & superb 'Jade Tiger' & 'Death Duel' (tho Ti Lung isn't the star of the later) .
After Swordsman & Enchantress they also made the underrated 'The Emperor and His Brother' & 'Roving Swordsman', The brilliant sequel to Sentimental Swordsman- 'Return Of..' and a handful of other less successful ventures.
