Post by Admin on May 8, 2015 8:03:20 GMT
Seven Swords is a 2005 Hong Kong wuxia film produced and directed by Tsui Hark, starring Donnie Yen, Leon Lai, Charlie Yeung, Sun Honglei, Lu Yi and Kim So-yeon. The story is loosely adapted from Liang Yusheng's novel Qijian Xia Tianshan and is completely unrelated to the novel except for some characters' names. Seven Swords was used as the opening film to the 2005 Venice Film Festival and as a homage to Akira Kurosawa's 1954 film Seven Samurai.
Plot :
In the mid-17th century, the Manchus conquer the territories of the former Ming Empire and establish the Qing Empire. While nationalistic sentiments start brewing within the wulin (martial artists' community), the Qing government immediately imposes a ban forbidding the common people from practising martial arts. The warlord Fire-Wind sees the new law as an opportunity to make a fortune so he offers to help the government execute the new rule. Greedy, cruel and immoral, Fire-Wind ravages northwest China with his army and kills thousands of resistance fighters and innocent civilians. His next goal is to attack Martial Village, which houses a large number of martial artists.
Fu Qingzhu, a retired executioner, feels an urge to stop Fire-Wind so he sets forth to save Martial Village. He brings with him two young villagers, Han Zhibang and Wu Yuanying, to Mount Heaven to seek help from Master Shadow-Glow, a reclusive swordsman and sword-forger. Shadow-Glow allows his four students – Chu Zhaonan, Yang Yuncong, Xin Longzi and Mulang – to accompany the trio on their quest. He also gives each of them a special sword he forged. The seven of them call themselves "Seven Swords". The Seven Swords return to Martial Village in the nick of time and successfully defeat and drive away Fire-Wind's soldiers. In order to buy time for the villagers to prepare for an evacuation, the Seven Swords head to Fire-Wind's base and cause damage by burning down their barn and poisoning their horses. During the raid, Chu Zhaonan encounters Fire-Wind's Korean slave girl, Green Pearl, and brings her along as they make their escape.
As the villagers evacuate Martial Village and make their way into the hills, strange things start happening along the way. Their food and water supplies are poisoned and their trail is marked by signs leading the enemy to them. The Seven Swords realise there is a spy among them and agree they must eliminate him/her before Fire-Wind catches up. Green Pearl immediately becomes the suspect because she does not speak their language. The situation is further complicated by a romantic affair between Chu Zhaonan and Green Pearl. At one point, Green Pearl and Chu fall into a trap set by Fire-Wind. Chu uses his sword to free Green Pearl from a net cast by Fire-Wind's men but loses his weapon. While Chu is captured by the enemy, Green Pearl manages to escape and convey her message that Chu has been captured to the other swordsmen before succumbing to her injuries.
The other six swordsmen travel to Fire-Wind's base and engage him in battle to rescue Chu Zhaonan. During the Seven Swords' absence, the spy, Qiu Dongluo, sets fire to the entrance to the cave to inform the enemy of the villagers' whereabouts. He reveals his identity and begins killing the unsuspecting villagers systematically. He is discovered by the village chief's daughter, Liu Yufang, who eventually kills him by accident. However, she is so traumatised by the experience that she becomes hysterical. Meanwhile, the Seven Swords defeat and slay Fire-Wind, and forces his army to retreat temporarily. The swordsmen return to the hideout, only to find that all the villagers have been killed, except for Liu Yufang and the children. Han Zhibang calms Liu down and decides to stay behind and protect the survivors. The Seven Swords realise the only way to save the wulin is to persuade the Qing emperor to withdraw the ban on martial arts. Liu tells Han that she can take care of the survivors alone so Han rushes to catch up with the other swordsmen as they travel towards the capital.
Cast :
Donnie Yen as Chu Zhaonan, the wielder of the Dragon.
Leon Lai as Yang Yuncong, the wielder of the Transience.
Lau Kar-leung as Fu Qingzhu, the wielder of the Unlearnt.
Charlie Yeung as Wu Yuanying, the wielder of the Heaven's Fall.
Lu Yi as Han Zhibang, the wielder of the Deity.
Duncan Chow as Mulang, the wielder of the Celestial Beam.
Tai Li-wu as Xin Longzi, the wielder of the Star Chasers.
Sun Honglei as Fire-Wind, a warlord.
Kim So-yeon as Green Pearl, Fire-Wind's Korean slave girl.
Zhang Jingchu as Liu Yufang, Liu Jingyi's daughter and Han Zhibang's lover.
Ma Jingwu as Shadow-Glow, a reclusive swordsman and sword forger.
Michael Wong as Prince Dokado, a Manchu noble.
Jason Pai as Liu Jingyi, the village chief.
Chi Kuan-chun as Qiu Dongluo, the spy.
Plot :
In the mid-17th century, the Manchus conquer the territories of the former Ming Empire and establish the Qing Empire. While nationalistic sentiments start brewing within the wulin (martial artists' community), the Qing government immediately imposes a ban forbidding the common people from practising martial arts. The warlord Fire-Wind sees the new law as an opportunity to make a fortune so he offers to help the government execute the new rule. Greedy, cruel and immoral, Fire-Wind ravages northwest China with his army and kills thousands of resistance fighters and innocent civilians. His next goal is to attack Martial Village, which houses a large number of martial artists.
Fu Qingzhu, a retired executioner, feels an urge to stop Fire-Wind so he sets forth to save Martial Village. He brings with him two young villagers, Han Zhibang and Wu Yuanying, to Mount Heaven to seek help from Master Shadow-Glow, a reclusive swordsman and sword-forger. Shadow-Glow allows his four students – Chu Zhaonan, Yang Yuncong, Xin Longzi and Mulang – to accompany the trio on their quest. He also gives each of them a special sword he forged. The seven of them call themselves "Seven Swords". The Seven Swords return to Martial Village in the nick of time and successfully defeat and drive away Fire-Wind's soldiers. In order to buy time for the villagers to prepare for an evacuation, the Seven Swords head to Fire-Wind's base and cause damage by burning down their barn and poisoning their horses. During the raid, Chu Zhaonan encounters Fire-Wind's Korean slave girl, Green Pearl, and brings her along as they make their escape.
As the villagers evacuate Martial Village and make their way into the hills, strange things start happening along the way. Their food and water supplies are poisoned and their trail is marked by signs leading the enemy to them. The Seven Swords realise there is a spy among them and agree they must eliminate him/her before Fire-Wind catches up. Green Pearl immediately becomes the suspect because she does not speak their language. The situation is further complicated by a romantic affair between Chu Zhaonan and Green Pearl. At one point, Green Pearl and Chu fall into a trap set by Fire-Wind. Chu uses his sword to free Green Pearl from a net cast by Fire-Wind's men but loses his weapon. While Chu is captured by the enemy, Green Pearl manages to escape and convey her message that Chu has been captured to the other swordsmen before succumbing to her injuries.
The other six swordsmen travel to Fire-Wind's base and engage him in battle to rescue Chu Zhaonan. During the Seven Swords' absence, the spy, Qiu Dongluo, sets fire to the entrance to the cave to inform the enemy of the villagers' whereabouts. He reveals his identity and begins killing the unsuspecting villagers systematically. He is discovered by the village chief's daughter, Liu Yufang, who eventually kills him by accident. However, she is so traumatised by the experience that she becomes hysterical. Meanwhile, the Seven Swords defeat and slay Fire-Wind, and forces his army to retreat temporarily. The swordsmen return to the hideout, only to find that all the villagers have been killed, except for Liu Yufang and the children. Han Zhibang calms Liu down and decides to stay behind and protect the survivors. The Seven Swords realise the only way to save the wulin is to persuade the Qing emperor to withdraw the ban on martial arts. Liu tells Han that she can take care of the survivors alone so Han rushes to catch up with the other swordsmen as they travel towards the capital.
Cast :
Donnie Yen as Chu Zhaonan, the wielder of the Dragon.
Leon Lai as Yang Yuncong, the wielder of the Transience.
Lau Kar-leung as Fu Qingzhu, the wielder of the Unlearnt.
Charlie Yeung as Wu Yuanying, the wielder of the Heaven's Fall.
Lu Yi as Han Zhibang, the wielder of the Deity.
Duncan Chow as Mulang, the wielder of the Celestial Beam.
Tai Li-wu as Xin Longzi, the wielder of the Star Chasers.
Sun Honglei as Fire-Wind, a warlord.
Kim So-yeon as Green Pearl, Fire-Wind's Korean slave girl.
Zhang Jingchu as Liu Yufang, Liu Jingyi's daughter and Han Zhibang's lover.
Ma Jingwu as Shadow-Glow, a reclusive swordsman and sword forger.
Michael Wong as Prince Dokado, a Manchu noble.
Jason Pai as Liu Jingyi, the village chief.
Chi Kuan-chun as Qiu Dongluo, the spy.
