Movies News Talk
Does the John Wick series appeal to you? You should then check out the still-great kung-fu film The One-armed Swordsman, 57-year-old. Focused on the exploits of martial artists in ancient China, Chang Cheh oversaw The One-Armed Swordsman, the first wuxia film that arose and became defining in Hong Kong film. Leading actor Jimmy Wang Yu's career was launched to unprecedented heights and he became a superstar in Hong Kong cinema as the movie was a huge box office hit.
Many contemporary martial arts action movies clearly draw on famous wuxia films, but The One-armed Swordsman has a particularly close relationship to John Wick. Inspired by his love of action movies, themes of revenge, and the neo-noir genre, Derek Kolstad's original John Wick film was But The One-Armed Swordsman and related films strongly influence the narrative, protagonist, and highly choreographed fight scenes in the movie that give long single views top priority over the contemporary technique of fast cuts and closeups.
For viewers of Keanu Reeves's John Wick, Jimmy Wang's action hero in The One-Armed Swordsman is perfect. Made by the Shaw Brothers, who transformed martial arts film by fusing fantasy and drama, The One-Armed Swordsman is a classic story of revenge. In the movie, young boy Fang Kang, Wang's character, starts learning under martial arts master Qi Ru Feng (Tien Feng). Other students, though, harass Fang Kang for hailing from a low-income background. Following a sequence of bad luck, Fang Kang loses his right arm, so preventing him from practicing swordsmanship, or so he thinks.
Reeves' venerable hitman, John Wick, has many personality qualities in common with the determined, fiercely loyal, and immensely gifted Fang Kang of the One-Armed Swordsman. Following nursing back to health under the soon-to-be love of his life, Xiao Man ( Lisa Chiao Chiao), Fang Kang masters a one-armed style of swordplay, which proves quite helpful when Qi Ru Feng and his martial arts school are attacked by the kung-fu master's enemies. Among the Shaw Brothers' best martial arts films, The One-Armed Swordsman's Fang Kang closely resembles John Wick, who first turns back to a life of vengeance following the death of his dog.
From the first John Wick film to John Wick: Chapter 4, the franchise's title character accumulates a heavy body count. Wick kills tons of baddies with his fists, the surroundings, his reliable sidearms, or all around approach. Though The One-Armed Swordsman uses a different kind of weapon— swords come first over conventional hand-to--hand fighting—it's ideal for fans of John Wick. Refusing to waste time with protracted one-on-one battles, Fang Kang literally slices through hundreds of foes in record time.
Though The One-Armed Swordsman is the best of his creations, Jimmy Wang Yu created several other martial arts films worth viewing. Before Bruce Lee became well-known, Wang was maybe the most famous martial arts movie star as one of the first big stars of wuxia films. Apart from acting after turning from martial art, Wang oversaw, produced, and wrote movies. The 1970 film The Chinese Boxer solidified Wang's legendary status while The One-Armed Swordsman started his career. Among other big Jimmy Wang hits are A Man Called Tiger, Boxers of Loyalty and Righteousness, and One-Armed Boxer.
The One-Armed Swordsman is a must-see if you search for an exciting and visually spectacular kung fu film. Its timeless classic quality stems from its resemblance to the John Wick series as well as from its amazing action scenes and emotional depth. So grab your sword and get ready to be astounded by this fantastic 57-year-old Kung Fu film.