Directors: Wong Jing and Keung Kwok Man
Writer: Wong Jing
Cast: Raymond Lam (Zhang Wuji), Janice Man (Zhao Min), Sabrina Qiu (Zhou Zhiruo), Yun Qianqian (Xiao Zhao), Louis Koo (Zhang Cuishan), and Donnie Yen (Zhang Sanfeng).
Score: 2.9/5
New Kung Fu Cult Master 1 (倚天屠龙记) is out in cinemas now.
I watched New Kung Fu Cult Master 2 (倚天屠龙记之圣火雄风) before I watched New Kung Fu Cult Master 1 (倚天屠龙记), which I don’t really recommend unless you’re a fan of Jin Yong’s Heaven Sword and Dragon Sabre (倚天屠龙记之) and you know the story by heart. In any case, I do, so I was okay watching them out of order. But if there’s anything that watching 4 hours of Raymond Lam as Zhang Wuji has taught me, it’s this – dude, you look way too mature to be playing Zhang Wuji. I mean, according to the movie, Zhang Wuji is supposed to be around 26 years old. Raymond Lam does not look like he’s 26. He looks, charitably, like he’s in his early 30s (he’s actually 42). And for me, this is a big issue with the film.
New Kung Fu Cult Master 1 (倚天屠龙记) is a martial arts movie that’s an adaptation of the classic Jin Yong (Louis Cha) novel Heaven Sword and Dragon Sabre (倚天屠龙记之). It follows the fate of the two most powerful weapons in the martial arts world – the Heavenly Sword and the Dragon-Slaying Sabre – as it is intertwined with the destiny of martial artist Zhang Wuji (Raymond Lam). Zhang Wuji’s martial arts prowess grows throughout the film, but so do the enemies he faces and the threats he has to overcome.
First and foremost, it’s been said that Raymond Lam is the oldest actor to play Zhang Wuji. That’s older than Lawrence Ng, who was 37 in 2000’s The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber (and that made Zhang Wuji look way older than most of his beaus). I guess it’s a matter of maturity – while Raymond Lam is in shape and looks good in his celebrity persona, he looks too old for the part when dressed in period costumes. I’m not even convinced that he’s a good fit for his co-stars Janice Man (who plays Zhao Min) or Sabrina Qiu (who plays Xiao Zhao). This is really distracting, because when he first appears, I wonder what the Jiu Yang Sheng Gong he supposedly mastered did to make him age so much.
I also felt that the adult version of Zhang Wuji appeared a little too late in the film. Granted, in the original novel, about only three quarters of it is spent with an adult Zhang Wuji – the first quarter takes place when he’s a kid and before he’s born. Nevertheless, this is the character we’re meant to root for for two whole movies. I certainly felt that he could have done with a much earlier introduction, because he’s also overshadowed by the two superstars, Donnie Yen and Louis Koo.
In the first quarter of the film, the story revolves around Zhang Cuishan (Louis Koo) and Zhang Sanfeng (Donnie Yen). On the one hand, it’s good that adult Zhang Wuji isn’t around, because they would definitely overshadow him. On the other hand, I felt a little cheated that they appeared for only a short while (and not in the second movie at all). I liked their appearances and how they injected some life into supporting characters that might otherwise have been forgotten. Still, I wasn’t sure if they were used effectively or if their presence watered down Zhang Wuji.
Also, all the cave scenes look like they came straight from a television serial. I mean, this is a movie – it shouldn’t look like TV (the budget, for one, would be a great differentiator). Like some other reviewers said, there is a definite TV feel in some parts of New Kung Fu Cult Master 1 (倚天屠龙记), and that doesn’t do justice to the story (or the film).
Still, I think it was fun to see a new retelling of the Heaven Sword and Dragon Sabre (倚天屠龙记) story. Say what you want about the cinematic merit of the film, but I’m a Jin Yong fan and I like to see interpretations of his works. I have my favourites, but I also enjoy seeing others step into the role.
Kung Fu Cult Master 1 (倚天屠龙记) could have done a bit better with its casting of Zhang Wuji – especially because he’s the main character! I enjoyed guest stars Donnie Yen and Louis Koo, I really did. But Raymond Lam is too mature for the role – and because of that, the film didn’t really resonate for me.
This is an original article on marcusgohmarcusgoh.com.
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I’m an independent scriptwriter who’s written for popular shows like Lion Mums, Crimewatch, Police & Thief, and Incredible Tales. I’m also a Transformers enthusiast and avid pop culture scholar. You can find me on social media as Optimarcus and on my site.
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