Review of Ba guo lian jun

I do not are that the costumes were wrong or that a Colt 1911 wa used 11 years before it was developed. My concern is the plot and whether the dialogue can keep things flowing. There are some choppy moments in this, but most movies have them. I was impressed that once more Chi Kuan-Chun (Shui Feng-Yun), my go-to Kung Fu Movie actor, plays a stoic character capable of seeing both sides of the issue. Alexander Fu Sheng (Tseng Hsein-Han) is Feng's Blood Brother, who wants justice for China. Everyone in a leadership position in this movie has an agenda. The Foreigners want to split up China into tiny pieces for themselves. The Dowager Empress wants someone to fight for China, even if its the Boxers, who are definitely seeking power. The local Boxer leader, Lung-Wei, is out for power and is willing to sacrifice all who come to fight in the name of China to get it. The Boxers tell followers that their "spells" can make them immune to the foreigners' bullets. It's total crap, but people fall for it. The Boxers do have a Kung-Fu style that makes them "immune" to typical Chinese weapons. It takes YEARS to master. Innocents are collateral damage to both sides of the Rebellion. The first "battle" Feng & Tseng encounter is more a sacrifice of fellow Chinese to Japanese guns. Hundreds are killed by Gatling guns. Swords are not exactly the best defense against bullets. Even Feng's friend Chen knows he won't return from the "battle" but has go to avenge his fallen brother. People pan this movie and Martial Arts films for their view of foreigners. It is no different than how American Westerns Portray Native Americans as the enemy. It should be expected these will be shown from the Chinese POV. I am not sure what "sugar" some reviewers say in this movie. There was definitely a lot of blood being spilled. Mainly, Chinese, for the benefit of others. Feng and Tseng defend fellow Boxers against Japanese who have followed from the battle. 9 Japanese are killed in the process. Feng and Tseng leave with the surviving Boxers. Lung-Wei's character encounters the aftermath as more Boxers appear. He takes credit for the Japanese deaths in an attempt to perpetuate his "spell" is working. The 9 dead Japanese quickly inflates to 90 then 900 then 9000 as news of the "battle" heads toward the Dowager Empress in Peking. Feng, Tseng, Lung Wei and other Boxers are invited to visit the Empress and "show off" their skills. Feng and Tseng have to watch in silence as Brother Boxers are killed in demonstrations of being "immune" to Foreign weapons. The pain of WAR's reality is ever visible in Feng's eyes. The reality that killing an enemy soldier will not stop the War and may result in more enemy attempting to get a foothold in China. weighs very heavy upon him. He also learns someone he once trusted has secrets of her own that make the situation worse. Feng and Tseng become trapped in Peking with only one foreseeable way out between the Boxers and the Foreigners. They become Public Enemy #1 for standing up to the German "in charge" of slicing up Peking and all of China. Feng and Tseng make a plan to head South for reinforcements no matter which makes it out of Peking. Feng is well aware they may die in the process. The loss of one to save millions is what must happen. Some refer to this as the Godfather of Kung-Fu movies. I like this movie far better than the Godfather series. Another reason I like it is it is a Who's Who of Shaw Brothers actors. There are several familiar Shaw faces, aside from Chi and Fu, in this film. Their presences actually move the story along and are not just there to being a movie, like some films who use actors for cameos.