Magnificent Warriors

The Oscars might amount to nothing more than pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey, but sometimes cinematic justice does prevail.  This year, it’s Michelle Yeoh’s nomination for Everything, Everywhere, All at Once, a performance that only she could have pulled off.  And what’s truly beautiful about this moment is that it gives new fans a chance to catch up on her extensive  Hong Kong career,  Films like Magnificent Warriors (1987) a whirlwind adventure story combining martial arts, swashbuckling adventure and lots and lots of ‘80s explosions.

 Set during the second Sino-Japanese war, Fok Ming-ming (Yeoh) is a tough-as-nails pilot - who also happens to be handy with a whip - sent on a mission by the Chinese government to retrieve a double-agent from occupied territory.  Her partners include a fellow secret agent and a professional gambler caught up in the mess after a case of mistaken identity.  After their plan is discovered, subterfuge goes out the window, resulting in a free-for-all of fists, feet, swords and machine guns.

 

Embracing the amped-up excess of the ‘80s, director David Chung’s film is a superficial crowd pleaser, refusing to take things seriously even through the historic backdrop probably deserved a moment or two.  Yeoh, however, is seriously on-point and super-cute as the Indiana Jones-style hero who fights better than any man.   One of the final films before her brief break from acting, she never misses a mark and sells every audacious stunt with a dangerous amount of enthusiasm.  

 

Comedy takes center stage as the story breathlessly bounces from one fight scene to the next.  It’s probably nothing new for seasoned Yeoh fans, but the choreography is clever and visually rises to the occasion with Mongolian location photography that provides a more epic scope than the standard huts and village sets.  Magnificent Warriors proves that Hong Kong was just as adept at serving up cinematic junk food as anything Hollywood had to offer.

 

The special edition Blu-ray from 88 Films is a nice piece of work, from the classy artwork and slipcover to the collectible booklet and fold-out poster tucked inside.  The transfer itself comes from a new 2K restoration from the original camera negative and looks as good as any HK film out there.  Extras include an audio commentary with Asian cinema expert Frank Djeng and archival interviews from Yeoh and stunt coordinator Tung Wai.

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