Handsome Siblings
Director: Eric Tsang
Year: 1992
Rating: 8.0
Is there anything more glorious in the cinema than a beautifully designed wushu film? One full of lavish costumes and sets, women that are deliriously lovely, flying that is as much poetry as filmmaking and moments so stunning that you hold your breath in awe. This is how I felt for the first thirty minutes of this film.
 

The first part of this film was nearly perfect for me; the sort of thing that I just relish. Sumptuous images, flying through roofs and across the sky, killing with a droplet of water, deadly scarves that shoot across the screen, glances of passion and hatred, ravishing close-ups, heads torn off and discarded and a wonderful sense of legendary heroics.
 

Unfortunately, the film does not keep up this style or pace for much of the next hour, but instead devolves at times into very low brow comedy that felt so out of synch with what took place before it. The film just can’t make up its mind what it wants to be – so it plays both sides of the fence. Finally though in the last segment it once again recaptures the magic of the beginning. Some of the humor is actually funny in a coarse way, but after my expectations had been set so high, it was a bit of a letdown. Still overall, I thought that this was one of the better kung-fu fantasy films that came out during that fertile period of the early 90s. Not up to the standards certainly of Bride with White Hair or Swordsman II, it does have some moments that equal their best.
 

It begins in the Villain Valley – an area of land that has been proclaimed to be a sanctuary for all and it is forbidden for the forces of the law to enter. Cheung Man – a powerful kung-fu master from Eva’s Palace trespasses in order to capture the 10 Untouchable Villains. Her husband Brother Lin intervenes telling her that this is not allowed – and though he loves her – he will not permit her to do this. He has brought their son with him – and before they duel he casually tosses him into the crook of a tree. In the ensuing fight he becomes a vegetable – but Cheung Man not realizing this leaves but swears that her student will return in 18 years to finish the job.
 

Eighteen years passes – and the boy has been raised up by the gang – dominated by Ng Man-Tat (Big Mouth Lee) and Deannie Yip – to be a kung-fu master in the shape of Andy Lau. Far away outside of the valley a kung-fu contest is going to take place to decide who will replace Cheung Man as the Master of the Martial Art World and Lau decides to enter.
 

On the way he is kidnapped by the Bandit Queen who wants him to service her – but while in her capture Cheung Man’s student More enters the hideout on a cloud of scarves and dispatches the Bandit Queen with a drop of water flung at the speed of a bullet. He then suddenly takes on a girlish smile and begins trying on the Bandit Queen’s clothes. No – More is not a secret transvestite, but is in fact a woman disguised as a man – and who else could possibly play this but Brigitte Lin. It doesn’t even matter that More is suppose to be 18 years old and Brigitte was approaching forty – she displays so much charisma and heart stopping close-ups that she is ageless. Lau though has witnessed all this and tries to play it to his advantage later on.
 

Love beckons between the two even though at the tournament they are suppose to fight to the death. A conspiracy is in place to capture the contest and Francis Ng is wonderful as the wormy little sneak who betrays his way to the top of the Martial Art World. It is up to Andy and Brigitte to stop him – but only total love and the Couple Sword stance can defeat Ng’s Ice Palm. It is to the death.
 

If you are a lover of these type of films, I would have to strongly recommend this one. It has it’s weaknesses – and drags a bit in the middle but it has some scenes that I had to play over a few times I was so taken with the images. It is perhaps style over substance – but sometimes that is not a bad thing. And needless to add – both Brigitte and Cheung Man are magnificent – almost hot and cold reflections of each other. Anita Yuen is on hand as one of the judges of the contest - but her role is very minor in this her second film.
 

I was surprised to notice that this was directed by Eric Tsang – showing again what a renaissance man he is.