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Summary: Mythic martial fantasy
Review: Every once in a while, a film comes out of Hong Kong that reminds me of why I like Asian cinema. Storm Riders is such a movie.While less frenetically paced than many of my earlier favorites ("Swordsman II", "Fong Sai Yuk", etc.), it nonetheless has outstanding action scenes and a creative visual style. The imagery has the mythic quality that I liked in films such as "Bride with White Hair" and "Zu: Warriors of the Magic Mountain", but it has a much more solid plot, more complex characterizations, and far better special effects than those films. I was also impressed with the special features on this DVD, which were far superior to the usual Tai Seng release, though not as good as many modern American-made DVDs. Even though I only watched a couple of them, it's refreshing to see that they made the effort to include a good variety of features. If "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon" is the only Chinese martial fantasy film you've seen, this film may not be what you're hoping for. This is not a deep character drama, though the central love triangle is well played, and the characters do have more depth to them than in most action films. Still, though, you'll enjoy the movie best if you expect a deeper-than-normal action film rather than a more-action-packed-than-normal character piece.
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Summary: Original and Entertaining Fantasy Martial Arts Epic
Review: A quick glance at the reviews shows that people either love or hate this movie. I found it one of the most entertaining films I've seen in ages -- spectacular special effects, terrific cast, fights quite entertaining and an interesting plot with revenge, moral struggles, good and evil, romance, eye candy both male and female, as well as the sets, the special effects, the utterly historically inaccurate but fun costumes. ("We come from the Heavy Metal dynasty of Ancient Chinese history.") Unlike many of the film's detractors, I'm not a kung fu purist. While the quality of HK fight scenes, whether kung fu, swordplay, or gunfire, has ruined me for action scenes in American films, I'm watching for plot, spectacle and entertainment value too. If you want entertainment, if you want something fresh and original, if you want a plot that's got lots of action but isn't based solely around action, check it out. If you loved Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and are willing to give something with less depth a chance, then you should love this film. (And, okay, Ekin Cheng and Aaron Kwok are just *lovely* to look at, in their Ancient Chinese leather outfits and with their rock-star hair.) I've found it quite rewatchable, too.
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Summary: Live action Wuxia meets Anime God-Warriors!
Review: The wuxia/super martial arts subgenre of HK films is pretty well established. However, the Storm Riders goes somewhat beyond the usual and adds in a set of actors who were clearly chosen not just for their ability to carry off martial arts on screen, but for their prettyboy looks -- a characteristic of a great deal of the "god-warrior" anime subgenre. The result is like a cross between Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Saint Seiya, and it works surprisingly well. Storm Riders has the usual angst-tragedy overtones of wuxia films like CTHD or The Bride With White Hair; the Bad Guy, Lord Conquer, is (as usual) Trying To Take Over the World, and is given a prophecy that his success and failure hinge on two people, "Wind" and "Cloud", who are mere children at that point. In the great tradition of classics the world round, like Pharoah and Moses in the Old Testament, Conquer's actions subsequent to the prophecy are, of course, going to make it come true. (Just once, I'd like to see a show in which the prophet makes this prophecy and the Evil Dude shortcircuits it by shooting the prophet and ignoring the prediction. Maybe I'll do that for my next book.) Conquer finds all boys who might fit the description and raises them as his own (having, naturally, whacked their parents). Things go along swimmingly for Conquer for a while, but naturally this is all going to come apart once the boys become young men. BOTH sides -- Conquer's AND Our Heroes' -- are rather screwed by the Prophecy, which leads, of course, to the final, inevitable showdown. Martial arts in this world are REALLY not something to laugh at. Those who master certain techniques (Frost Fist, etc) end up able to take on dozens or hundreds of lesser foes, freezing them solid, electrocuting them, burning, etc. They have power attacks that hit at range and can do damn impressive amounts of damage. Okay, we're not talking Dragonball Z here, but it's up there with Saint Seiya. Saint Seiya keeps coming to mind when watching, too; personalities and even appearances of certain characters remind Seiya fans almost irresistably of some of the Saint Seiya characters -- there's a Shun equivalent, an Ikki equivalent, and a Shiryu equivalent. The grand finale battle, featuring Conquer (who has, naturally, not QUITE taught all his tricks to his students, and is therefore FAR more powerful than any one of them) taking on Cloud and Wind together, is one of the most impressive I've seen, especially considering this was done on a budget about 1/10 of that which Hollywood would have required to do the same thing. This one's a keeper.
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Summary: Aaron Kwok gives an impressive performance
Review: "The Storm Riders" (also known as "Wind Cloud/Fong Wan/Fong Yreen") is the top-grossing movie in Hong Kong cinematic history. For those who underestimate HK cinema, watch this movie - it WILL prove you wrong. With Asia's top entertainers giving amazing performances, Aaron Kwok, Ekin Cheng, Xiu Chi, and Cristy please audiences all around the world. The film includes fantasy, dramatic kung-fu closeups (sometimes a bit too much), and emphasizes a lot on a big part of Chinese culture - honor... face... reputation... vengeance. Not to mention creativity and some very touching scenes. Aaron Kwok (left of cover) plays "Wan/Yreen/Cloud" as a very emotional character that many can relate to. Although Ekin Cheng (right of cover), who played "Fong/Wind", also gave a wonderful performance, the movie mostly centered itself on Cloud's character. The highlights of the movie were given by Sonny Chiba and Heavenly King Aaron Kwok. (That's a true title, for those who aren't familiar with Hong Kong entertainment.) If you're sick of a typical kung-fu movie or Hollywood hit and are looking for something new, "The Storm Riders" will satisfy you with a mix of fantasy, special effects, impressive directing, great sound, some romance, and a wonderful story. It is also recommended to watch the sequel of this movie, however Heavenly King Aaron Kwok turned down the offer to play Cloud again. The prequel of "The Storm Riders", "A Man Called Hero" is NOT WORTH WATCHING. - Priscilla
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Summary: Aarron Kwok is definately worth watching...
Review: Great actions and effect.. The storyline is interesting but have a very nabulous love story... over all, Aaron is reallly hott....
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Summary: Stylish Comic Thriller Kung Fu
Review: Based on a Chinese comic book, the story centers around two warriors, Wind (who has powers to manipulate the wind, like a tornado) and Cloud (who can control water) who eventually must confront the warlord Conquer, the main villain (played by Sonny Chiba), who have trained and used them to conquer other lands. Add to that bunch of flying Kung Fu / sword fights, melodrama, a love triangle, magic monkey, posessed arm, winding plot, some beautiful scenery, and you get a movie that works, feels, and as imaginative as comic books can get. Characters are well-done and although the plot is a bit convoluted (but hey, it IS from a comic), the movie continues to remain energetic and exciting. As kung fu fantasy movies go, the bigger-budget computerized visual effects are very well-done, one of the most stylish and creative I've seen, as it also opens up newer possibilities in action choreography. But other than that, it is always more fun to see non-Hollywood films handle computer technology (let's face it, Hollywood films only use it for explosions or morphing nowadays, no flying speed-kicks or multi-fist attacks). Nevertheless, the visuals and the audio are excellent and of course, a very entertaining (and stylish) flick. (Plenty action, less serious than "Crouching Tiger." If you liked X-men, you may like this even more)
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Summary: Good cast, story, and special effects
Review: If you remember the Street Fighter movies of the 70s, then you'll enjoying seeing Sonny Chiba in this film. The story is also interesting, as the two boys come to quarrel with each over the girl, and end up fulfilling their destinies...
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Summary: Great story great special effects
Review: This Movie has killer special effects. I can see where a few people did not like it cause there where no realistic fight sceans but it at least had fight sceans and not just people shooting stuff out of there hands like The Legend of Zu. The story is very good too. very brief summery: 3 desciples of a great master all fall in love with his daughter and they latter realize how evil he really is and have to come together to fight him. If you like Dragon Ball Z or anything like it this movie will be really cool but if you are looking for a regular Kung fu movie with realistic fight sceans this is not for you.
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Summary: No Fire Monkeys were harmed in the making of this movie..
Review: A prophet tells a conqueror (aptly named Lord Conqueror) that he will become the master of the martial arts world if he adopts these 2 kids. These 2 kids grow up to become the masters of air and water (There's also a master of ice). But the Lord's daughter gets between them and messes everything up :-).. The fight scenes are like the elemental moves in the Final Fantasy series. The main problem with this is that it tries to fit too much stuff into 2hrs, the coolest character in the movie, Sword Saint, isn't given any background. Plus there are no martial arts and very little swordfighting even at the end. Still I like comic books and this is some pretty eye candy.
Rating:
Summary: Great Movie
Review: This and A Man called Hero are my favorite asian cinema ever. The effects are convincing and only help to move the story along. A great exciting ride from beginning to end. Can't recommend more. A+ Flick
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