Blade of Kings (2004/aka The Twins Effect II/Well
Go USA Blu-ray w/DVD)
Picture:
B+/B- Sound: B+/B- Extras: C Film: C+
In a land
where women rule, men are slaves called 'Dumbbells' and the Evil Empress has
plans to teach men their place, but a prophecy foretells the coming of a young
boy with magical sword and restore equality for man. Charcoal Head and Blockhead are thrown
together by fate with two woman warriors, Blue Bird and 13th Young Master, to
solve the riddle of stone treasure map and to recover the lost king's sword and
defeat the Evil Empress ... Can they learn to work together or will they kill
each other first?
This was a funny movie. Four unlikely
friends can't tell if they want to kiss or kill each other. After stealing the stone map expecting to find
treasure and riches find themselves in even more trouble when they discover the
evil sorceress Empress wants them dead; guided by Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon
(Donnie Yen) they are tested by Lord of Armor (Jackie Chan) to fulfill the
prophecy and bring an end to the Evil Empress rein to an end.
The best way I could describe this movie was it was like martial arts movie
mixed with Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter. In a fiction/magical land of ancient China
where woman has enslaved man, it featured colorful costuming with CG imaged
world with special effects. Along with
guest super stars Donnie Yen and Jackie Chan, the four main
characters/protagonists must use their martial arts (with the aid of a magical
sword) to defeat the sorcery of an evil queen. All the meanwhile two females and their
'dumbbells' fall around each other and start falling for each other.
The 1080p
1.85 X 1 digital High Definition image on the Blu-ray looks really good for a
recent film its age as it should, shot on 35mm film and holding up very well,
while the anamorphically enhanced DVD version is not bad for being lower
def. The DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 5.1
lossless mix on the Blu-ray is also impressive and makes the Blu-ray the
preferred way to see this. The lossy
Dolby Digital 5.1 mix on the DVD has some surrounds, but is weak by
comparison. Extras include making of the
movie and trailers.
- Ricky Chiang
