My report: what can I say, another good Asian fighting film. I like the martial arts and the women in these films. Always elegant and graceful. I consider myself so ignorant of the Asian culture that it is something I admire very much. Many things are different about that other Orient, and I like paying attention to the details in the movies. Things like the clothes the people are wearing, the way they look and salute each other, the music, etc.
Rating: 
About it: A Wuxia adventure out of South Korea, The Legend of the Shadowless Sword is a handsome martial arts epic by Kim Yung-jun (Flying Warriors). The film’s simple story allows for exceptionally creative action sequences about every three to four minutes, while simultaneously building a noble tale full of faith, love, and sacrifice. A beautiful female warrior named Yeonsoha (Yoon So-yi) goes in search of the last, living prince of the Balhae dynasty and its kingdom, overrun years before by the Geordan empire. The prince, Jeong Hyeon (Seo Jin Lee), has been in hiding 14 years as a black market trader, concerned primarily for his own safety and deeply cynical about any thought of going back to retrieve his family’s throne. Yeonsoha, however, proves persuasive, especially in light of the many attempts on Jeong’s life by a gang of assassins. The shady killers are led by a vengeance-seeking Kun (Hyeong Jun-Shin) and his assistant, (Ki-Yong Lee), another sword-wielding babe who gets into plenty of wild skirmishes with Yeonsoha.
The story essentially follows Jeong and Yeonsoha’s efforts to get back to a waiting army of Balhae exiles awaiting a king’s leadership. As the hours and days pass, Jeong gets in touch with the man he once was, a fearless warrior whose exploits on the battlefield are well-known to Yeonsoha, whose connection to the prince seems mysteriously personal. The film’s numerous fight scenes are never redundant, employing all manner of props and ideas for exciting fights. But it’s the performances that really hold everything together, the deep if understated emotions and the excitement of watching two mismatched lead characters slowly realize how important they are to one another. –Tom Keogh
Tags: action sequences, Antonio, asian culture, assassination, assassins, attentions, blacks, Bullen, creative action, cultures, dynasty, emotions, exiles, exploits, faith, fearless warrior, female warrior, females, fight scenes, four minutes, jin lee, life, love, man, market trader, Marketing, movies, Music, paying attention, people, personalities, personality, shadowless sword, skirmishes, south korea, vengeance, women, yong lee, yoon so yi
