Archive for June, 2005
Killers Five
Parts of Killers Five want to be a study on the struggle between filial piety and patriotism. Other parts want to be a straight-forward adventure film. When the film focuses on the swinging swords it can be a lot of fun. But when it tries to make its point, watch out.
After the daughter of Duke Pingxi is kidnapped by Lin Tianlong and his gang, the Duke (Yang Chih Ching) calls in Yue Zhenbei (Tang Ching), a righteous and filial swordfighter, to defeat the bandits and rescue his daughter.
So far, so good. Then Yue decides he must visit his mother (Ouyang Shafei) and apologize for putting his fealty to the duke over his family duties. “Filial piety and loyalty can’t go hand in hand,” says Yue. But his mom counters that patriotism is what makes a son great.
An interesting conflict, and one that occurs frequently in Shaw Brothers movies; But Killers Five introduces it in a blatant, ham-fisted manner and then promptly forgets the whole idea for the next hour. Back to the adventure!
As Yue gathers his team of killers, director Cheng Kang tries to soften the normally stoic image of the wuxia hero. Momma’s boy Yue says he “feels bad” after killing someone (although he abandons these regrets as the film builds towards its bloody climax). Water Rat Li Xiaoqi (Ku Feng) longs for his wife and daughter, while his love of gambling leads to several scenes of comic relief. Niu (Ching Miao), an expert mountain climber, is also an expert drunkard who acts as Li’s comic foil. Ma Jin Ling, the team’s female archer, has moments of doe-eyed romantic longing. Even the stone-faced “King Of Burglary” Liang Shengfei harbors a sentimental soul.
As the film throws those characters into one sword fight after another, everything rolls merrily along. Then the film’s twist ending resumes that painful conversation between Yue and his mother. Thankfully, another bit of clever swordfighting saves the day.
Few wuxia films take the time to evolve their characters beyond stock stereotypes; the effort that Killers Five expends on turning its killers into people more than makes up for the occasional wince induced by its efforts to make a point.
Killers Five
Dir: Cheng Kang
Released: February 14, 1969