| The New One-Armed Swordsman |
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| Culture | |
| Sunday, 20 May 2007 | |
 The New One-Armed Swordsman begins with a rapidly edited title sequence that plunges the audience straight into the action. A figure in white is seen riding on a horse, and as the horse gallops through a desolate landscape, the rider – a swordsman – cuts down various men on horseback. Every time the swordsman in white confronts these men, they fall from their horses, and as they drop from their saddles, the picture freezes and the credits appear. Before a word is spoken, we can see how skilled – and how reckless – this mysterious swordsman is.The lone man in white is Lei Li (David Chiang Da-Wei), a young swordsman who skilfully wields twin swords, and easily defeats any opponent that stands in his way. But the arrogant Lei Li meets his match when he challenges Lang Yizhi (Ku Feng) – an older, more experienced swordsman – to a duel. After Lei Li loses his fight against Lang Yizhi, the humiliated younger swordsman cuts off his right arm and staggers away. As the seasons pass, the Lei Li fades into obscurity, ending up as a waiter in a small inn, where he is mocked by some of the patrons. However, Lei Li finds a friend in Ba Jiao (Li Ching), the daughter of the local blacksmith who takes pity on Lei Li. But as much as Lei Li appreciates her kindness, he sees a kindred spirit in Feng Junjie (Ti Lung), another swordsman who is inspired by Lei Li’s legendary status, and who in turn will inspire Lei Li. Even after he is crippled, Lei Li showcases some gravity-defying culinary skills in a series of kitchen-based sequences. These moments remind us of the latent skills that Lei Li possesses, and hint that Lei Li will become a great swordsman once again. As the film goes on and Lei Li confronts the mistakes of his past and the possibilities in his future, he becomes less of an egotistical fighter and more of a selfless hero. Aside from the witty martial arts kitchen scenes, The New One-Armed Swordsman is full of other memorable moments, including Lei Li’s severed arm pinned to a tree by one of his own swords, and a shot where Lei Li stands motionless as pieces of cloth that he has just slashed in the air slowly flutter to the ground. However, it is the numerous fight scenes that are most impressive, including a set piece that features Lei Li fighting battling hordes of swordsman inside and outside a mansion, as well as a Sergio Leone-like confrontation on a long wooden bridge, where Lei Li engages in a tense face off against his nemesis. Martyn Bamber |
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