BUTTERFLY & SWORD (Japan Version) DVD Region 2

There's this gang of pals, see? They're happy, giggly kids and then they grow up. Michelle Yeoh, grim-faced and a slave to Eunuch Tsao, nurses a flame for Tony Leung; Donnie Yen, a drunk swordsman who keeps getting wounded to keep Michelle caring for him; and Tony Leung who plays whimsical Sing, sitting in the boughs of trees tossing little paper helicopters to the wind. He pretends to be a simple merchant for the sake of his lady love, Joey Wong, who plays with baby birds and flutters through the peaceful forest like a paper napkin. Both of them moon goonily at the landscape, the fish, and each other, much to Michelle's irritation.

Bodies start to spurt pressurized blood mist as Eunuch Tsao commands Michelle to mobilize her "Happy Forest" army against the combined wicked forces of Eunuch Li and Suen (Elvis Tsui, wearing a variety of studded leather hats). Light humor and romance (when Sing goes on a business trip he gives Joey Wong a fifteen foot "To Do" list) mix with bodies being torn in seven different directions. Like a mid-life nightmare Ching Siu-tung's fevered action choreography features human arrows, floors ripped up and hurled at opponents, the previously-mentioned de-facings, and more blue-lit sword angst than you can shake a stick at.

Taiwan's top director, and the auteur behind such oddities as Fantasy Mission Force and Golden Queen Commando, Chu Yen-ping outdoes himself here - behind his onscreen ravings is an anguished wailing against the implacable approach of old age.

by Grady Hendrix