Speaking of excellent martial arts instructors in the Hong Kong film industry, everyone will think of Liu Jialiang, Yuan Heping, Cheng Xiaodong, Hong Jinbao and Jackie Chan, among which Cheng Xiaodong's action design visual effects are shocking, focusing on creating an atmosphere and paying attention to the momentum of opening and closing. Perhaps it is precisely because the action design is relatively excellent, everyone ignores his directing ability, in the past, he directed "Qiannu Ghost" and "Smiling Proud of the Jianghu" may have a strong Xu Ke style, but today Xiaobian wants to introduce to you the debut film "Life and Death" directed by Cheng Xiaodong.
The story of "Life and Death" is actually relatively simple, that is, China and Japan each send a martial arts master to conduct a fair duel, and the contest between the two sides is not only a competition, but also the honor of representing their own country. Bu Qingyun, played by Liu Songren, is the representative of the Chinese side, and Ichiro Miyamoto, played by Xu Shaoqiang, is the representative of the Japanese side.
Bu Qingyun represents Chinese martial arts, and we have always paid attention to the point so far, not to hurt life. The Japanese bushido spirit, on the other hand, pursues victory and does not give up until it reaches its goal. Bu Qingyun asked the master where the significance of winning was, and the master could not tell. Miyamoto's master used death to motivate him, so that Miyamoto had no way to retreat, only to fight to the death.
Although the purpose of the duel is different, bu qingyun and Miyamoto want to have a fair duel. Unfortunately, this fairness was deliberately undermined, first of all, the owner of Xiahou Mountain Villa, the previous Chinese representatives were all from Xiahou Mountain Villa, but unfortunately, after the fall, Zhongyuan Wulin began to nominate others to ensure the victory of the duel. However, Xiahou Mountain Villa, for his so-called honor, colluded with the Japanese and betrayed his fellow martial artists, and finally ended up with a tragic end.
On the other hand, the Japanese side only used the duel as an excuse to massacre and arrest Zhongyuan Wulin colleagues, Miyamoto was ashamed of their behavior, and in order to pursue a fair duel, he joined hands with Bu Qingyun to uncover their plot and rescue Zhongyuan Wulin colleagues together.
When it was all over, Bu Qingyun felt that the duel had lost its meaning and did not want to be in the duel. Miyamoto killed his uncle in order to force Bu Qingyun to duel, and the two eventually engaged in a wonderful duel.
Bu Qingyun and Miyamoto belong to the hero to cherish each other, but appreciate it, the duel is still dueling, the consequence of the duel is naturally a lose-lose situation, Bu Qingyun folded his left finger and right arm, and Miyamoto still refused to fall down before dying, still nailed the soles of his feet with his sword, tragic and heroic.
Cheng Xiaodong, who has several fight scenes in the film, naturally will not disappoint us, whether it is the Japanese samurai stealing the secret book at the beginning, or Bu Qingyun and Miyamoto intercepting the Japanese samurai in the woods, or the final battle between the two, it is very wonderful, it is a rare wonderful picture. The duel between the two people facing the sea, the huge waves of snow, the layers of rock through the clouds, the fog is confused, and the two majestic standing stones perfectly show the artistic conception of it, and instantly feel tall.
The formation of the Japanese samurai is also more ingenious, using the human kites to fly, a number of ninjas forming giants, and a group of people carrying a car to rush, etc., all of which bring us a strong visual effect.
Liu Songren and Xu Shaoqiang are heroes and professionals, the character positioning is also very accurate, Xu Shaoqiang has his own evil nature, Liu Songren is a face of justice, assuming that the two exchanges will not achieve the desired effect.
Kaohsiung, as always, plays the villain, cold and expressionless, and fierce. Such as Chen Tieyi in "Famous Sword", Hu Zhaoguang in "Patrol Horse" and so on. However, In "Jingwumen" starring Kaohsiung and Chen Allah, the wise Huo Yuanjia impressed the editor. Most netizens said that Kaohsiung did not need makeup to play Mr. Lu Xun.
The owner of Xiahou Villa is Zhang Chong, who became famous in the 1960s and also had a relationship with Lin Dai, the top shao movie at that time. Unfortunately, Lin Dai committed suicide and died, and a generation of superstars was gradually forgotten. Zhang Chong later appeared frequently in Hong Jinbao and Jackie Chan films, such as the club boss of "Fuxing Gaozhao", the father of Yuan Biao in "Fast Food Truck", and so on.
The emotional drama of "Life and Death Decision" is relatively weak, and although Xiahou Shengnan and Bu Qingyun are affectionate, they are also point-to-point. Zhang Tian'ai's appearance is quite atmospheric, heroic, and does not lose the femininity of her daughter's home. At first, she helped her father, and finally when she learned that his father was colluding with the Japanese, she decisively sided with justice. Today's Zhang Tianai has long since retired from the show business circle, is a well-known designer, and also has four failed marriages, and is an independent woman.
In fact, the main theme of this film is what Bu Qingyun said in the film: Sometimes you don't feel that people who learn martial arts are very sad; those who don't learn well may incur the disaster of killing themselves anytime and anywhere; those who learn well either want to challenge higher hands, or they will become the target of everyone, and there will never be a peaceful day. But this is the jianghu, and the so-called people in the jianghu can't help themselves!