Tsui Hark is considered one of the greats of Hong Kong action cinema, known for producing or directing classic action films such as "A Better Tomorrow" and the "Once Upon A Time In China" series. And his latest movie looks to increase the scale on an epic level.
"The Taking Of Tiger Mountain" (based on the novel "Tracks In The Snowy Forest" by Qu Bo) stars Tony Leung Ka-Fai and Yun Nan, and is inspired by a real life incident during the 1946 Chinese Civil War in which a communist reconnaissance team solder disguises himself as a bandit in order to infiltrate a local gang and ultimately destroy them.
While his classic action films relied on choreography and real stunt work, from the looks of this trailer Hark is relying a lot on CGI these days. Characters appear to be fighting tigers, falling from impossible heights, and every attempt is made ensure something is coming at your face in 3D. While I’m not a fan of the heavy use of cartoonish CGI in action films, the color palate used here is not unpleasant. But it looks more like a fantasy film than an historical epic.
"The Taking Of Tiger Mountain" opens on January 8th in China. As the tagline says, strike to win, and watch below. [Film Divider]