Seven Swords

This article is about the 2005 film. For the Liang Yusheng novel, seeQi gian Xia Tianshan.For the Tsui Hark television series, seeSeven Swordsmen.

Seven Swords
Theatrical poster
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese	Bảy kiếm
Simplified Chinese	Bảy kiếm
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Qī Jiàn Yue: Cantonese Jyutping Cat1 Gim3
Directed by	Tsui Hark
Screenplay by	Tsui Hark Cheung Chi-sing Chun Tin-nam
Based on	Qi gian Xia Tianshan byLiang Yusheng
Produced by	Tsui Hark Ma Zhongjun Lee Joo-ick Pan Zhizhong
Starring	Donnie Yen Leon Lai Charlie Yeung Sun Honglei Lu Yi Kim So-yeon
Cinematography	Keung Kwok-man Herman Yau Choi Shung-fai
Edited by	Angie Lam
Music by	Kenji Kawai
Production companies	Beijing Ciwen Digital Oriental Film & TV Production Film Workshop Boram Entertainment Fortissimo Films
Distributed by	Mandarin Films Distribution Co. Ltd.(Hong Kong) China Film Group(China) Tube Entertainment (South Korea) A-Film Distribution (Netherlands)
Release date	29 July 2005(2005-07-29)
Running time	153 minutes
Countries	Hong Kong China South Korea Netherlands
Languages	Cantonese Mandarin Korean
Budget	US$18 million
Box office	US$3,473,290

Seven Swordsis a 2005wuxiafilm produced and directed byTsui Hark,starringDonnie Yen,Leon Lai,Charlie Yeung,Sun Honglei,Lu YiandKim So-yeon.Aninternational co-productionbetween Hong Kong, China, South Korea and the Netherlands, the story is loosely adapted fromLiang Yusheng's novelQi gian Xia Tianshanand is completely unrelated to the novel except for some characters' names.Seven Swordswas used as the opening film to the 2005Venice Film Festivaland as a homage toAkira Kurosawa's 1954 filmSeven Samurai.

Plot

In the mid-17th century, theManchusconquer the territories of the formerMing Empirein China and establish theQing Empire.When anti-Qing sentiments start brewing within thewulin(martial artists' community), the Qing government immediately imposes a law forbidding the common people from practising martial arts. The warlord Fire-Wind sees the new law as an opportunity to make a fortune so he offers to help the Qing government enforce the new law. Greedy, cruel and immoral, Fire-Wind ravages northwest China with his army and kills thousands of resistance fighters and innocent civilians. His next goal is to attack Martial Village, which houses a large number of martial artists.

Fu Qingzhu, a retired executioner, feels an urge to stop Fire-Wind so he sets forth to save Martial Village. He brings with him two young villagers, Han Zhibang and Wu Yuanying, toMount Heavento seek help from Master Shadow-Glow, a reclusive swordsman and sword-forger. Shadow-Glow allows his four apprentices – Chu Zhaonan, Yang Yuncong, Xin Longzi and Mulang – to accompany the trio on their quest. He also gives each of them a special sword he forged. The seven of them call themselves "Seven Swords". The Seven Swords return to Martial Village in the nick of time and successfully defeat and drive away Fire-Wind's soldiers. In order to buy time for the villagers to prepare for an evacuation, the Seven Swords head to Fire-Wind's base and cause damage by burning down their barn and poisoning their horses. During the raid, Chu Zhaonan encounters Fire-Wind's Korean slave girl, Green Pearl, and brings her along as they make their escape.

As the villagers evacuate Martial Village and make their way into the hills, strange things start happening along the way. Their food and water supplies are poisoned and their trail is marked by signs leading the enemy to them. The Seven Swords realise there is a spy among them and agree they must root out the spy before Fire-Wind catches up. Green Pearl immediately becomes the suspect because she does not speak their language. The situation is further complicated by a romantic affair between Chu Zhaonan and Green Pearl. At one point, Green Pearl and Chu fall into a trap set by Fire-Wind. Chu uses his sword to free Green Pearl from a net cast by Fire-Wind's men but loses his weapon. While Chu is captured by the enemy, Green Pearl manages to escape and convey her message that Chu has been captured to the other swordsmen before she succumbs to her injuries.

The other six swordsmen travel to Fire-Wind's base and engage him in battle to rescue Chu Zhaonan. During the Seven Swords' absence, the spy, Qiu Dongluo, sets fire to the entrance of the cave to inform the enemy of the villagers' whereabouts. After Qiu is discovered by the village chief Liu Jingyi and his daughter Yufang, he kills Liu Jingyi and proceeds to murder the unsuspecting villagers systematically. While the children distract Qiu, Yufang manages to kill him. However, the experience traumatises her so much she becomes hysterical. Meanwhile, the Seven Swords defeat and slay Fire-Wind, and force his army to retreat temporarily. The swordsmen return to the hideout, only to find that all the villagers have been killed, except for Yufang and the children. Han Zhibang calms Yufang down, while the other six swordsmen realise the only way to save thewulinis to persuade the Qing emperor to withdraw the ban on martial arts. They depart towards the capital, but Han Zhibang decides to stay behind and protect the survivors. Yufang tells Han she and the children can be strong by themselves and persuades him to rejoin the other swordsmen, so he rushes and catches up with them.

Cast

• Donnie Yenas Chu Zhaonan, the wielder of the Dragon.
• Leon Laias Yang Yuncong, the wielder of the Transience.
• Lau Kar-leungas Fu Qingzhu, the wielder of the Unlearnt.
• Charlie Yeungas Wu Yuanying, the wielder of the Heaven's Fall.
• Lu Yias Han Zhibang, the wielder of the Deity.
• Duncan Chowas Mulang, the wielder of the Celestial Beam.
• Tai Li-wu as Xin Longzi, the wielder of the Star Chasers.
• Sun Hongleias Fire-Wind, a warlord.
• Kim So-yeonas Green Pearl, Fire-Wind's Korean slave girl.
• Zhang Jingchuas Liu Yufang, Liu Jingyi's daughter and Han Zhibang's lover.
• Ma Jingwu as Shadow-Glow, a reclusive swordsman and sword forger.
• Michael Wongas Prince Dokado, a Manchu noble.
• Jason Pai as Liu Jingyi, the village chief.
• Chi Kuan-chunas Qiu Dongluo, the spy.
• Huang Peng as Guan Sandao, a villager.
• Zhang Chao as Zhang Huazhao, a villager.
• Chen Jiajia as Kualo, Fire-Wind's follower.
• Liu Mingzhe as Jiaoci, Fire-Wind's follower.
• Li Haitao as Siyilang, Fire-Wind's follower.
• Jiang Guangjin as Sanzi, Fire-Wind's follower.
• Xie Zhang as Bald Lion, Fire-Wind's follower.
• Wang Chi-man as Dagger Peak, Fire-Wind's follower.
• Zhang Jie as Hair Wolf, Fire-Wind's follower.
• Tang Tengfei as Stone Beast, Fire-Wind's follower.
• Liu Zhenbao as Mud Trot, Fire-Wind's follower.
• Lin Haibin as Sangen, Fire-Wind's follower.
• Guo Fengqiang as Black Spirit, Fire-Wind's follower.
• Jia Kun as Bangmuzi, Fire-Wind's follower.

Production

The film was the first of a planned six-part film franchise.

During the shooting of the ending fight scene,Donnie Yenaccidentally injuredSun Hongleinear the eye after mistakenly assuming that Sun was trained in martial arts. Sun was rushed fromXin gian gto a hospital inBeijingon the night of 7 December. His eyesight was not affected so he returned to the set a day later and insisted on finishing his scenes.

Casting

The role of Chu Zhaonan was initially offered to Korean actorSong Seung-heonat a reported salary of US$400,000. DirectorTsui HarkrecruitedLeon Laito portray Yang Yuncong after watching his performance inThe Sword of Many Lovesand wanting to "see another side of him". Song and Lai were trained in horse riding and swordplay for their respective roles but Song dropped out near the start of the filming period to work on other projects.Donnie Yenwas then offered to play Chu Zhaonan, and he accepted the offer without hesitation after "understanding the gravity" of the situation.

Lu Yi,who portrayed Han Zhibang, once said that he would never act inwuxiaor martial arts films again. However, when he saw the all-star cast tied to the project, he immediately accepted the offer to join because he felt it was a rare opportunity for him to work with such a strong cast.

The role of Prince Dokado was initially offered toHu Jun,who rejected it for reasons unknown. It was later offered toWang Xueqi,who similarly turned down the offer. The role eventually went toMichael Wong.

Release

Cheung Chi-sing, the production manager and scriptwriter, revealed that the initial cut made by Angie Lam was four hours long. However, the distributors were worried that such a lengthy running time would limit screening arrangements and affect box office performance, so Tsui re-edited it to two versions – 150 minutes and 120 minutes. After finding that the 120 minutes version suffered from underdevelopment, the investors chose the 150 minutes version for the theatrical run.

Reception

Seven Swordswas well received in Asia, being nominated for many awards in both Hong Kong and China.Its US limited-release received generally negative reviews and holds a 25% "rotten" rating onRotten Tomatoesbased on 15 reviews.

Sequel and Reboot

Tsui Hark intendedSeven Swordsto be aheptalogyand confirmed a sequel script was in progress.Although confirming a sequel was in the works, a completed script, and ready to be filmed at the end of 2006, the movie was never completed.By 2019, a new seven swords trilogy was made unrelated to Tsui Hark's work.

See also

• Qi gian Xia Tianshan
• Seven Swordsmen

External links

• Seven SwordsatIMDb
• Seven SwordsatAllMovie
• Seven Swordsat theHong Kong Movie DataBase
• Seven Swords(archived fromthe originalon 2007-02-16)
• Review ofSeven Swordson kfccinema