Reviewed By-Paul Cooke
Director : Chor Yuen
Scripted : I Kuan
Starring : Ti Lung , Lieh Lo , Li Ching & Yuen Biao

Don’t get tongue tied over the incredible array of newly remastered and ongoing re-issued complete Shaw Brothers titles from Celestial , do though try and prepare to get used to pronouncing the star name of Ti Lung. Here he plays lone swordsman Fu Hung-Hsueh , appearing from the opening credits amidst a storm brewed up from a Spaghetti Western setting and stepping out from the shadows with all the machismo of a young Clint Eastwood as the Man With No Name. Sporting a stubble face and donning a flick over poncho that soon reveals the awesome weapon that is the Magic Blade. A weapon that is revolutionary in the truest meaning of the term , as its adeptness as swirling with lethal effectiveness through three hundred and sixty degrees in the skilled possession of its master is breathtaking to behold. Fu is seeking out his nemesis in the world of swordsmanship in the shape of the equally well honed Yen Nan-Fei as played with revelry by Shaw Brothers regular Lo Lieh. When the all powerful Lord Yu plots to have both men killed , in order for him to retain his creed as master of the martial world , the two are forced to form an allegiance to take on his might. They come up against all forms of foe in a multitude of ingenious set piece arenas , including a survivalists match of human chess that turns into a contact death match. All are also seeking out possession of the all powerful famed Peacock Dart , a weapon of devastating power that bequeaths to the wielder a destructive force able to level the onslaught of a battalion of men.

Ti Lung is made for the role and even has the persona of a young Jimmy Wang Yu , which it is believed was an intended observation in reverence to his ‘Big Brother’ who became famous a decade earlier with many classic outings such as the awesome , ‘ The One Armed Swordsman ’.

Playing out under the majestic Direction of Chor Yuen , with a sublime quality of beautifully framed and choreographed action set pieces , this truly is a breathtaking offering that entertains throughout its perfectly set duration. Add to the mix a multiple challenge for Ti Lung in the form of five super uniquely individualistic killer assassins , who pop up along the way to the final showdown with Lord Yu , and his skill with the Magic Blade never lets up and the need for all in one sword treatment oil is never therefore an issue to contend with. The array of characters vying for a shot at Fu is endless but never dull and even allows for some humourous introductions such as Devil Grandma , someone that you most certainly do not want to consider leaving the kids with for an afternoon treat.

The personification of the term Hero is underlined in Ti Lung’s performance as he truly stands for all that is indeed Heroic , portraying the supreme fighter with unquestionable high morals and an indelible sense of chivalry as he represents a vigilante of virtue. Aside from these qualities , that will reignite within a whole new generation of an appreciative modern audience , you just have to smile with a wry appreciation at someone portraying a character having the enduring ability to have practised twenty years to move his sinus. Clearly though not to be sniffed at as it proves to be a life saving herbalist alternative to later day surgery. This and many other bizarre moments unravel with a subtle humour that works so well as all play their roles straight faced but very much with posture that indicates fun was had by all amidst the back lots of the Shaw Brothers stages. Even the fake moon nestling up in the night sky above the designer scenery cannot detract from the overall enjoy ability to be had in the viewing experience , and leaving the viewer with that feel good factor that is instantly redeemable from the purchase ticket that now gloriously shines out from within this home viewing DVD format of pure excellence. For a fully fuelled Fun Fu outing , ‘ The Magic Blade ’, effortlessly cuts a swathe through the multitude of meaningless video rental fighting fodder available , and under the glorious banner of Shaw Brothers studios this is amongst the first releases that sets a shining example of what is still to come from Celestial. A thrill ride the like of which we may just get to see again soon as Shaw Brothers reemerge from their production stable , and the manner in which this particular movie ends will have you drooling at the mouth in anticipation.