My Own Swordsman (2011) (Blu-ray) (English Subtitled) (China Version) Blu-ray Region All

Fortunately, even a complete novice to this work (like myself) will only have to know the basic character relationships before watching the My Own Swordsman film. Frugal Tongfu Inn owner Tong Xiang Yu (Yan Ni) is married to aspiring martial arts hero Bai Zhan Tang (Sha Yi), while feisty waitress Guo Fu Rong (Yao Chen) is now married to fellow waiter/talky scholar Lu Xiu Cai (Yu En Tai). Other frequent visitors in the inn include local constable Zhu Wu Shuang (Ni Hong Jie) and restaurant chef Li Da Zui (Jiang Chao).

This time, the Tongfu gang runs into trouble when they offend a corrupt government official visiting the town. After almost getting killed, the official hires frugal assassin Ji Wu Li, whose older brother was killed by Lu Xiu Cai in the series (the scene is shown in the film), to kill everyone at the inn. But before that, he first takes his revenge on the town by setting up a real estate speculation scam that would allow him to make money off eager property buyers in town, including Fu Rong and Xiu Cai.

One of the main reasons that My Own Swordsman is especially popular with younger audiences is due to writer Ning Caisheng's ability to touch on topical social issues with plenty of irreverent humor that hip netizens can relate to. Even though most of the specific pop culture references will only work for those well-versed in it (the "b.s." mentioned in the film doesn't stand for the "bull" word), most will still be amused by how director Shang Jing integrates modern cultural references into the story's period setting. Even more amazing is how well the film delivers its irreverent humor (including those involving local dialects) without going too far over-the-top and becoming annoying.

Meanwhile, viewers not interested in the satire can also enjoy My Own Swordsman as a martial arts comedy. With a larger budget and a chance to leave the original studio setting, Shang packs the film with plenty of martial arts action and impressive use of wirework. After the use of satiric humor in the first two acts, Shang and Ning uses slapstick action in the third act, relying on a mix of martial arts and Home Alone-style slapstick comedy to bring the story to its conclusion.

Most importantly, the My Own Swordsman film also benefits from having a cast that works so well together. Despite the five-year gap between the end of the series and the film, the actors still share great onscreen chemistry. They play off each other naturally like old friends, and they genuinely appear to be having fun reprising their respective roles. This is especially the case for Yan Ni and Yao Chen, who both became stars due to their work on the show.

With a bit of everything for everyone, it's no surprise that My Own Swordsman was a major box office hit in China. On the other hand, it's also understandable that the film's origins and its style of humor make it hard to attract attention outside of China. However, I can vouch that the film is no more difficult to understand than any popular Hong Kong comedy from the 1990s. Naturally, the film's sentimental portions will work better for fans of the show, but it also delivers enough new things for newcomers to appreciate. Don't let missing out on 80 episodes of the story scare you away from My Own Swordsman, because you'd also be missing out on one of the best Chinese comedies of 2011.