Highly impressive and visually stunning, this epic movie may well be Tsui Hark's finest hour. The effects-laden adventure takes the old 'quest to destroy evil'-style storyline and imbues it with all manner of then-top of the range special effects, the result being one heck of an experience which never lets up from the very beginning. Whist keeping the distinctive Chinese comedy at the forefront of the movie, so that it never becomes too dark, Hark mixes in a storyline involving monsters, demons, and mysterious angel-like heroes, all of which are highlighted by some imaginative designs in both the sets and the costumes. Although some of the special effects have dated - at one point the Blood Monster looks just like what it is, a red sheet, and some of the back projection is highly cheesy - on the whole this is great entertainment where everything works as one.
What else do we have? Not least a strong cast of seasoned performers, top lined by Yuen Biao giving yet another of his mannered, highly athletic and likable heroes, plus Mang Hoi as his faithful friend and fellow fighter. Sammo Hung is in here too, playing dual roles as both an army buddy of Biao's and the hilarious "Long Brows" wizard, who spends the film holding the evil monster at bay just by using his beard and eyebrows! Female characters are also strong with fierce fighting from Moon Lee and Brigitte Lin and plenty of powerful countesses and mysterious goddesses in the thick of the action.
The film is highly atmospheric, with some extremely creepy sets at the beginning of the movie, utilising the good old dry-ice machine and plenty of cobwebby caves and desolate moor land. The horror fan will no doubt enjoy the countless attacks from flying glowing-eyed demons, killer roots, evil wizards, and the impressive Blood Monster itself, whilst the screen is often awash with beautiful colours as fighters hurtle by on spinning discs and throw multi-coloured balls of fire and beams at each other. Not only is this good and pacy entertainment, it's grand entertainment on an epic scale, the kind of old-fashioned movie you didn't think they could make anymore in the '80s, that needs to be seen.
What else do we have? Not least a strong cast of seasoned performers, top lined by Yuen Biao giving yet another of his mannered, highly athletic and likable heroes, plus Mang Hoi as his faithful friend and fellow fighter. Sammo Hung is in here too, playing dual roles as both an army buddy of Biao's and the hilarious "Long Brows" wizard, who spends the film holding the evil monster at bay just by using his beard and eyebrows! Female characters are also strong with fierce fighting from Moon Lee and Brigitte Lin and plenty of powerful countesses and mysterious goddesses in the thick of the action.
The film is highly atmospheric, with some extremely creepy sets at the beginning of the movie, utilising the good old dry-ice machine and plenty of cobwebby caves and desolate moor land. The horror fan will no doubt enjoy the countless attacks from flying glowing-eyed demons, killer roots, evil wizards, and the impressive Blood Monster itself, whilst the screen is often awash with beautiful colours as fighters hurtle by on spinning discs and throw multi-coloured balls of fire and beams at each other. Not only is this good and pacy entertainment, it's grand entertainment on an epic scale, the kind of old-fashioned movie you didn't think they could make anymore in the '80s, that needs to be seen.