Once Upon a Time
Dec. 9th, 2010 07:25 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
cyranoQuick Review for Warrior's Way, aka Cowboys vs. Ninjas
There's a tricky balance presenting this kind of movie, blending two genres that share a lot of surface traits but underneath have some striking differences. This is a film that does it pretty well. The only thing I fault them on--if you decide to go over the top, don't get close and then back off for shame or guilt. Get up close, snuggle, get sweaty, and make beautiful technicolor exploding babies.
Well. One of the two things I fault them on. I wanted more/more intricate fight scenes. I loved the subtle suggestion of Bad Ass Ninja With Magical Combat Powers, whether it's the whirling sand or the backlighting on the canvas or whatever, but I felt like (aside from the retreat to the Hotel and Lynne fighting the Colonel) there was a lot of glossing over what is usually the coolest part of these films.
And speaking of Lynne vs. the Colonel, let me say that I was much happier than usual with the presentation of the female supporting role. She says "He's Mine" and he is. Yang doesn't step in when she's getting her ass kicked, he just stands there and watches. And she's pretty consistently taking initiative through the film, not just waiting to be saved. Yes, there's the whole helpless and threatened with rape thing, twice, but once she gets out herself. I would have liked it if, after he jammed that knife into the mattress, she'd grabbed it once she'd gotten free. But there you have it.
Also, a big thank you to the writers and director. Tony Cox was excellent, and there wasn't a single plot twist where somebody said "Lucky thing we got us a midget!" No short jokes. Eight Ball was a character rather than a punchline like Gimli in Two Towers.
The visuals were chewy and sweet. The ending was... just about everything I could have asked, down to the eskimo and "Free." And, again, the cinematography on that swipe between California and Canada? Awesome.
I'm going for three wags--as a Wuxia film, or a western, it's really good. However, it does not transcend either genre. I enjoyed myself, which is all I asked of it.
There's a tricky balance presenting this kind of movie, blending two genres that share a lot of surface traits but underneath have some striking differences. This is a film that does it pretty well. The only thing I fault them on--if you decide to go over the top, don't get close and then back off for shame or guilt. Get up close, snuggle, get sweaty, and make beautiful technicolor exploding babies.
Well. One of the two things I fault them on. I wanted more/more intricate fight scenes. I loved the subtle suggestion of Bad Ass Ninja With Magical Combat Powers, whether it's the whirling sand or the backlighting on the canvas or whatever, but I felt like (aside from the retreat to the Hotel and Lynne fighting the Colonel) there was a lot of glossing over what is usually the coolest part of these films.
And speaking of Lynne vs. the Colonel, let me say that I was much happier than usual with the presentation of the female supporting role. She says "He's Mine" and he is. Yang doesn't step in when she's getting her ass kicked, he just stands there and watches. And she's pretty consistently taking initiative through the film, not just waiting to be saved. Yes, there's the whole helpless and threatened with rape thing, twice, but once she gets out herself. I would have liked it if, after he jammed that knife into the mattress, she'd grabbed it once she'd gotten free. But there you have it.
Also, a big thank you to the writers and director. Tony Cox was excellent, and there wasn't a single plot twist where somebody said "Lucky thing we got us a midget!" No short jokes. Eight Ball was a character rather than a punchline like Gimli in Two Towers.
The visuals were chewy and sweet. The ending was... just about everything I could have asked, down to the eskimo and "Free." And, again, the cinematography on that swipe between California and Canada? Awesome.
I'm going for three wags--as a Wuxia film, or a western, it's really good. However, it does not transcend either genre. I enjoyed myself, which is all I asked of it.