Western science and Eastern mysticism are two different foundations for suspension of disbelief in storytelling. Viewers unfamiliar with the cinematic rules of mystical kung fu will need to set science aside and accept the spirituality that underlies Bastard Swordsman’s wuxia action. The characters have spent their lives undergoing arcane training in order to reach epic levels of lethality. They can run over the top of bamboo forests and shoot poisonous gas from their palms. However, these super heroes are not above engaging in melodramatic treachery, gossipy revelations, romance and murder.

They are human after all. Sympathetic underdog Yun Fei Yang certainly strikes a chord with Asian audiences. As the bastard swordsman, he has had many incarnations in television, novel and film. Here, director Tony Liu Jun Guk brings his story to the big screen in a flashy yet emotional production. An inarticulate orphan servant at the Wudang school of martial arts, Fei Yang (Norman Chu Siu Keung) is bullied and abused by his superiors. But he has two secrets: he is in love with the chief's niece, Wan Er (Lau Suet Wah), and he is learning mystical kung fu at night from a mysterious teacher. When the fate of Wudang is threatened by power-hungry Du Gu (Alex Man Chi Leung) of the Invincible Clan and traitorous infiltrator Fu Yu Xu (Anthony Lau Wing), Fei Yang must acquire the powerful Silkworm Skill in order to right wrongs and save Wudang.

As hackneyed as the wuxia story might seem on paper, a trim, well-timed plot and good character development prevent the film from getting bogged down in a plethora of costume-characters and gratuitous stunts. The plot is involved but not encyclopedic, and an outstanding cast raises it well above ground level. The action sends Bastard Swordsman skyrocketing through the roof.

Bastard Swordsman's reputation for mind-boggling action is well deserved. The kung fu and swordplay is frenetic but clean and tight, with little noticeable undercranking. Yes, they really do move that fast, and the wire work is excellent. Kudos to the actors, down to the very last stuntman, for their energy and prowess. And while the special effects are somewhat cheesy, as always in this wave of hectic wuxiapians from the 1980s, they are inventive and charming. For those unfamiliar with the genre, think Big Trouble in Little China's special effects and frenzied atmosphere. The wuxia action is outstanding but it is not painful, violent or even terribly tense. This is a simply a safe, fun little epic that most everybody should be able to enjoy.

Love, adventure, jeopardy and peril are universal themes. Add some truly outstanding mystical wuxia action, and it is no wonder Bastard Swordsman is so beloved by Eastern and Western fans alike. This film is a classic piece of entertainment.One that requires suspension of disbelief, of course, to make it highly rewarding.

Distributor: Funimation.com/Hong Kong Connection

Region: 1

Languages: Mandarin Mono, English Dolby Digital Stereo
Subtitles: English

Format: 2.35.1
Run Time: 90 minutes

1 DVD with unfortunately no bonus features other than a handful of mixed-bag trailers.

Release Date: December 2010

Price: $19.98