Brave Archer, The

From Zanecorpwiki

A forgettable Shaw Brothers flick. DVD

Summary

About a dozen characters and just as many sub-plots, most of which go undeveloped as the plot swerves from one focus to another with little resolution. If it were better in other dimensions, it could a kind of fictional "that's the way life goes" story, but as it is, it's just a mess.

Not to say there aren't fun parts and some good ideas, but this one just doesn't work.

Details and Notes

Spoiler's ahead.

There are elements to the story I like. In some ways, the characters and their relationships are far more complex than the standard fair. The "evil" kung fu master ends up as the father-in law of the main character, the respect among the kung fu master's transcends their political/social relationships. The problem isn't the idea, it's the execution. Your standard 70's kung fu opera acting and direction just don't cut it. Rather than a complex, rich story, you just end up scratching your head.