Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #38930 in DVD
• Released on: 2001-10-22
• Rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
• Number of discs: 2
• Formats: Box set, Dubbed, PAL, Widescreen
• Original language: Cantonese Chinese
• Subtitled in: English
• Dubbed in: English
• Number of discs: 2
• Running time: 130 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
The Stormriders transplants Macbeth into a medieval China in director Andy Lau's reinvention of classical tragedy as CGI-laden blockbuster. Officially the source material is a best-selling Manga, and the flying heroes with magical powers and the wild camera angles do indeed have a real graphic-novel flair. As the warlord Sonny Chiba is a commanding presence, while Ekin Cheng as Wind and Aaron Kwok as Cloud are perfect contrasting comic-book warriors. Kristy Yeung is a suitably lovely heroine, while Shi Qi provides irritating comic relief. There is style to burn, with beautiful imagery bearing the influence of Ridley Scott and, in the "blur-motion" duel in a bamboo forest, Wong Kar-Wai; indeed, Lau has served as Kar-Wai's cinematographer. Spectacular yet laden with symbolism The Stormriders is a film to bridge the appeal of Ashes of Time (1994) and The Bride with White Hair (1993) with the Superman (1978) and Mummy (1999) movies. The fights and a romantic flying sequence pay homage to the former, the computer effects update the groundbreaking Zu: Warriors of the Magic Mountain (1983) with the technology of the latter. Sometimes overly ambitious or just plain bizarre The Stormriders is an emotionally charged darkly romantic adventure which outclasses any comic-book adaptation Hollywood has made in years.

On the DVD: The first disc presents the 127-minute director's cut in its original 2.35:1 ratio with Dolby Digital 5.1 sound. While the sound is clean, dynamic and makes great use of all the channels the picture is presented non-anamorphically, so that while well-focused, with strong colours and little sign of artefacting, it is not as solid or detailed as it could be. The main special features are two documentaries, a general "making-of" running 22 minutes, and a 20-minute "featurette" on the special effects. Both are promotional pieces made at the time of the film's release.

The second disc features the US trailer and an object lesson in how to ruin a film, i.e. the "international" version ofThe Stormriders. Cut by 38 minutes, horribly panned and scanned and dubbed, this is a travesty that destroys all the beauty and atmosphere and renders the story incomprehensible. Why anyone would watch it when they have the complete film on the first disc is a mystery. The sound is again Dolby Digital 5.1 and the 4:3 image is fair. --Gary S Dalkin

Special Features
Wide Screen
English
Cantonese
Region 2
Dolby Digital 5.1 Cantonese
Dolby Digital 5.1
Directors Cut Version
Theatrical Trailer
Exclusive Making Of The Stormriders
Special Effects Featurette
Character Profiles
Cast Biographies And Filmographies
Production Stills Gallery
Interactive Moving Menus
Scene Selection
English

Synopsis
This martial arts fantasy film--starring Ekin Cheng, Aaron Kwok, and Sonny Chiba--is based on the best-selling, long-running comic book series WIND AND CLOUD by artist Ma Wing-Shing. Dazzling special effects combine with high-flying kung fu action to create one of Hong Kong's biggest hit movies.

Customer Reviews

Elegantly Poetic and Playfully Entertaining Action Film
There is poetic elegance in most Chinese films and I am happy to state this film is no exception. It is one of the main reasons I love Chinese cinema. This film has a playfulness and creativity with an exaggeration of certain qualities and characteristics that seems to be the hallmark of Chinese films. It is whimsical, funny, and entertaining. The costumes are very colorful and artistically designed. The hair styles of the actors and actresses are true to each character, some are modern and punkish, others are classically beautiful and elegant. The natural scenery is breath-takingly beautiful: jagged mountains, various green oriental foliage, a peaceful lake, gorges with multi-layered soil that looks like a modern art painting, and lovely valleys. Lok City is done in ancient Chinese splendor. The architecture and carvings of various buildings are stunning. There is one scene in which cherry blossom are frozen on the trees which creates an eerily glistening creatively beautiful effect. Feng Shui is clearly evident within the interior sets where minimal furniture, wall hangings and carved structures speak loudly of the artistry and creativity of the designers.

In this film, Wind and Cloud are martial artists who represent the righteous forces of justice and goodness. When they combine their energy and forces against an evil immortal named Dai-Sik-Tien (DTS) and his followers, fireworks erupt. DTS has captured Mung, the beautiful wife of Wind and put her into a state of suspended animation. She looks dead as she lies in her coffin made of ice while floating on a canopied raft in the middle of a lake. Wind tries to revive his wife without success. DTS offers him a capsule, with two options: he swallows it and dies so that his wife may live or she takes it and dies, so that he may live. Of course, Wind is generous and loving so he swallows the capsule. It turns out to be a trick: she remains in a state of suspension, neither alive nor dead. Wind turns into al demonic fighter for three days. He is pitted against the very forces he had defended and to which he had belonged. Eventually, the spell breaks and he returns to his previous personality and revives Mung. But the battle lines have been drawn, the population is suffering as the dark forces descend deeper into their lives. With stunning choreography, Wind, Cloud, Wave and several other righteous fighters do battle against the evil fighters. The sword play is outstanding. This brief scenario describes one of the many subplots within this magnificently done film.

In another scene, Wind helps a lady who had stolen something in the marketplace, he heals her injured arm. Little does he know that she is in disguise and part of the evil empire. He escorts her to her destination but along the way, she falls in love with him, tempting him in every possible manner. He resists and does not fall for her trap. While DTS is disappointed, he is very cunning and develops a devious plot to destroy the righteous fighters. In fact, he has won over at least one of the righteous ones to his side. He devises a scheme to destroy the dragon which lives in a gorge in the realm. He engages seven righteous martial arts warriors to join him in a coalition to kill the beast. The fight scenes are stunningly beautiful and highly creative. In one, the seven fighters on signal use their sword to ride ... like a surf board in the sky. In another magnificently conceived scene: the seven fighters stand on each other's shoulders, DTS joins them at the top. They make what looks like an energized totem pole which becomes a huge sword from their combined energy. Needless to say ... the dragon is slain. However, the biggest fight is yet to come as DTS attempts to gain the dragon's spirit all for himself. At the time, the dragon's spirit had split into small fireballs ... each of the seven warriors and DTS managed to retain one for himself. DTS wants it ALL ... Uncle Tsui Fook, an immortal from the righteous realm, joins the warriors in this fight. From this point forward, there are several treats and surprises in store for the viewer. Be assured that I have only touched the tip of the iceberg in describing scenes from this most highly recommended film. It is playful, entertaining, creative and a joy to watch. Erika Borsos [pepper flower]

Disappointing
This movie promises much more than it delivers. it has an uninteresting storyline which is sort of Ok but the fighting is really lousy. You sit through the whole movie waiting for something better to happen

Not what I expected
Having become interested in Asian cinema recently and steadily making my way through it's large catalogue I came across the reviews of this on Amazon and decided to purchase it on the strength of the reviews (as I had never heard of the film before).

It's OK to watch once but I wouldn't bother again. After reading the reviews I was expecting something a bit more stylish. Instead what this film is is something like a glorified version of the TV series 'Monkey' or 'The Water Margin'. If that's your cup of tea - fine. If you want something more in the vein of Kitano's excellent 'Zatoichi' than take a look at 'Azumi' and similar.