The
Lost Bladesman (2011/Anchor Bay DVD)
Picture:
B Sound: B Extras: D Film: B+
War
of the Three Kingdoms General Guan Yu (Donnie Yen) was a prisoner,
general and hero. General Minister Cao Cao recruited Guan Yu to
fight the Emperor against his own kingdom. After his service, Cao
Cao promised Guan Yu to be released, and while Cao Cao and Guan Yu
are men of honor and kept their word, Cao Cao's generals and
commanders were less than virtuous. As Guan Yu returns home, he is
ambushed and attacked by traitors and turncoats whom he once call
brother's in arms....all under orders of the Emperor to kill him in
Felix Chong & Alan Mak's The Lost Bladesman (2011).
Guan
Yu was a prisoner under Cao Cao, but he was also know as a peerless
fighter, greatest warrior of the land and fought with honor. Armies
under his command would win under impossible odds. The only reasons
Guan Yu worked under Cao Cao was that he promised to bring peace to
the lands and to release him ...and his beloved sister-in-law
afterwards. Even after his service, Cao Cao tried to recruit him
(but was rejected) and granted him amnesty ...but the rest of the
army didn't.
This
was a martial arts fill movie about an invincible warrior under the
sun. Based on historical events, Cao Cao was know as a General of
China who sought to unify China under one nation, but like all
history, there are very few soldiers/warriors who could be truly said
who fought with honor, much less respect for their enemies. Guan Yu
was a man who fought for family, honor and peace, Cao Cao promised
him those things ...but how could he do that when the rest of the
nation didn't?
The
anamorphically enhanced 2.35 X 1 was shot in the Super 35mm film
format on Kodak Vision 3 negative film stocks and issued on Fuji 35mm
prints. This looks as good as it can in the format, though a Blu-ray
is sure to reveal more. The same for the lossy Dolby Digital 5.1 mix
(originally with an extra EX track and allegedly also in 7.1
elsewhere) which is as good as it can be, but we bet a lossless
presentation would be finer and more soundfield-consistent. There
are no extras.
-
Ricky Chiang
