Zu: Warriors From Magic Mountain (1983)

AKA: Zu: Warriors of the Magic Mountain

Literally: Suk Mountain: New Suk Mountain Sword Heroes

Director: Tsui Hark

Producer: Leonard Ho Koon-Cheung

Writer: Si To Cheuk Hon

Action Director: Corey Yuen Kwai, Yuen Biao, Fung Hak-On, Mang Hoi

Cast: Yuen Biao, Mang Hoi, Adam Cheng Siu-Chow, Damian Lau Chung-Yun, Sammo Hung Kam-Bo, Moon Lee Choi-Fung, Brigitte Lin Ching-Hsia, Norman Chu (Tsui Siu-Keung), Randy Man, Judy Ong, Tsui Hark

Running Time: 98 min.

Plot: A long time ago, in ancient China far far away, the Forces of Evil are about to break their bonds with the humans and rule the Earth. A young warrior must endure perilous journeys through the magical world of the Zu mountains. His quest: To locate the Twin Swords which, when brought together, is the only weapon powerful enough to defeat the monstrous demons and save the mortal world.

NUMSKULL'S REVIEW: An unrestrained martial arts fantasy extravaganza with ample tongue-in-cheek humor delivered with a smug "ain't I a genius?" attitude by overpraised director Tsui Hark. This sugar rush of a movie bombards the audience with one special effects-laden action sequence after another until the whole production becomes a blur, largely devoid of truly memorable moments and remarkable only on account of its excesses. Antiquated special effects pop up all over the place as "fish out of water" Yuen Biao encounters numerous mystics and warriors with all sorts of supernatural powers (like a guy who can use his facial hairs as extendable appendages) and undertakes a quest to defeat the wicked Blood Demon and bring an end to a senseless war between rival factions who fight because...uh, they don't like each other. I guess.

The storyline is (I assume) steeped in Chinese folklore and loaded with geek-friendly minutiae to which, I'm fairly certain, people more knowledgeable than myself attach all sorts of significance. I'd find out more, but frankly, I didn't find the movie entertaining enough to justify the effort...and this is coming from a guy who goes on mini-shopping sprees in the Mythology & Folklore section at Barnes & Noble and was at the top of Mr. White's Myth & Legend class in high school. The film is reasonably coherent as long as you resist the urge to turn your attention elsewhere, but the breakneck pace and relentlessness of the fantasy elements still make it feel like too much, too quick.

Maybe Tsui Hark should make another Zu movie now that more sophisticated special effects are available. Oh, hey, that's right, he DID, and it bombed (rightly so, I might add). Oh well. Life is tough when you're a hack director.

NUMSKULL'S RATING: 5/10

RINTOR'S REVIEW: I'll start by saying this: This movie is like the AD&D of China. It's what could be termed as Fantasy Kung Fu, and that is what is so great about it. Some people may not like this movie very much if they have closed and unimaginative minds. This is one of the first Hong Kong movies I've ever seen that uses tons of special effects, and I'm not talking about just bullets and explosives. This movie has magic battles, mystical swords, supernatural kung fu, evil demons, great wizards, comedy, love, horror, and suspense. This movie is about a 10th century Chinese mystical battle of good vs. the ultimate evil. As mankind's last hope the mystic heroes have set out to defeat the Blood Monster. Only if you watch it will you find out if good wins out in the end. (Not that it's such a big mystery.) All of these elements and an all-star cast make this a really great movie. The story line progresses well and is easy to follow. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys fantastical stories of mystical kung fu legends.

Senseless and irrelevant advertising plug: If you don't have the Action channel you should because they show great movies like this!

RINTOR'S RATING: 8/10

VIC NGUYEN'S REVIEW: Tsui Hark directed this groundbreaking special effects extravaganza which is a favorite among fans of Hong Kong's fantasy genre. Features an all-star cast with names such as Yuen Biao, Sammo Hung, Meng Hoi, Brigitte Lin, Moon Lee, and Adam Cheng being the most memorable of the bunch. Although the special effects might seem amateurish by today's standards, they are still impressive considering the budget, and the sheer imagination that the film possesses makes it an exhilirating thrillride until the end credits. A must for any Hong Kong enthusiast.

VIC NGUYEN'S RATING: 8/10