Seven Swords (2005)

I am on my knees thanking the almighty and the film makers for such a wonderful piece of work. It is such a welcome break from the regular, loud, in your face, over the top tag line, poorly acted product that is coming off the Hollywood assembly line these days as regularly as lies out of the white house.

This movie is astonishing, it combines all the best elements of Tsui Hark's earlier very best films like The Blade, The Lovers, Legend Of Zu, Once Upon A Time In China, and creates a bleak whirlpool of (not poetic) the brutal and painful to watch violence, and conversely (not bland) the ever-present romanticism - not just between people – but in the beauty and simplicity of the nature and human soul, and in their harmonical relation, just like the relation between heaven and earth.

Here one can sense what Tsui Hark is really capable of doing, given the proper DIRECTION and THEME. The landscapes, the love affairs are simply breathtaking. As if the movie didn't want us to be completely part of their affairs and issues, but just gently touches on them with an honest sensitivity and tenderness that let them move with a tranquility and an innocence which evokes in the viewer the sense of the genuine art of film-making that I have not seen in a very long time.

I did not go to the theater to see this movie (which i'll probably regret for the rest of my life), but rented the DVD, but my thirst for a beautiful, not just entertaining, but a truly BEAUTIFUL movie was finally quenched! Thank you Mr. Hark for your unique artistic voice and talent. You will be remembered as one of the greatest for evermore!

Fmovies: Well, what to say what has not been said yet, saying that it's a magnificent masterpiece is just an understatement.

Beautiful, barbarian, sublime, lyrical, except for its cinematic scope it has nothing in common with profit-driven, highly flawed swordplay film "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" that has brought nothing interesting and fresh to the genre except for the obvious commercialization.

This movie was excellent, and really I cannot see how anyone who doesn't have ADD or any humanity cannot sit down and watch this movie.

A nice example of another re-invention of the Chinese swordplay movies. Seven Swords is also one of the bigger films of this genre since The Blade and the films of the Shaw Brothers.

The only thing I disliked was Donnie Yen (the only flaw on this film was the casting of his character)

I saw this film with a couple of friends, and let me tell you that it was vividly seen on their eyes that every single one was totally mesmerized by this, later we were talking mostly just about this film the whole week.

As for comparisons to Seven Samurai, while I must say I love that movie as well, I think this one has much more depth and raw humanity. It's much more emotional and inspirational to life... at least to me certainly.

This is out of question the cinematic accomplishment of the highest proportions.

If you are going to see The Seven Swords, be prepared to have to pay close attention and keep an open mind. For the fist half an hour I was immensely frustrated, both with the rambling editing and seemingly out-of-place music, but once I realized that what I was seeing was not a standardly narrated action drama, but an exploration of heroism, redemption and meaning of life at its best.

Once you surrender yourself to the jagged style and that every second of a scene might be the last and that many of them don't last more than two shots, you appreciate every little detail and cherish every word. This is not a film, this is a documentary of the history and the very beginning of the Wuxia culture and heroism in general, and you are invited to the fictional world that is frighteningly reflecting our own. I was amazed at how staged and stylized scripts, acting, editing and action have become, and how this director seemed to say so much with so little words. Just watching the emotional expressions on the characters will attack you so much deep inside that your heart will be literally breaking apart and you start gasping for one little breath. I was so refreshed after seeing this movie that I felt like running off into the wilderness and escaping the constraints of society forever. So much is crammed in to every minute that it seemed like you saw literally 10 films at once. It is not so much a slow pace that bores many viewers (the man in front of me left halfway through) but the need for them to expect nothing more than what they are shown. In other words, do not expect to be handed character motives and themes on a plate. A great film for devoted and hardworking audiences, but not for the impassible, faint-hearted, squeamish and heartless. In the end, this film will reward such audience with an unforgettable experience that can sometimes appear only once in a lifetime.

On a side note, evidently there's a lot to look forward to upon hearing that along with the sparked enthusiasm by the producers and audiences alike and the recent reports of the preparation of a number of sequels, this film officially marks the beginning of the new wave of martial arts movie-making in the 21st century.

Seven Swords fmovies. As I have never seen a Tsui Hark film or am familiar with any of the Asian actors in this film, I watched Seven Swords without any expectations. This movie has however, far exceeded my expectations. I was preparing myself to see another version of Crouching Tiger but was surprised to see a movie with a great story line, drama, and the best action that I have seen in a long time. My favorite characters would definitely have been the Wind Fire and Chu. Each character had a sad part of their life that made them so much human. The action, although very fast paced, made the viewer feel as though they were part of the fight and the moves much more realistic than flying to the top of a building. I am hooked and look forward to more Tsui Hark movies

Just got the HK 3 DVD set and watched the film unlike any other.. and MY GOD! THIS FILM IS A Masterpiece! I was so moved ... if you do one more thing in your life before you die .. see this film! It's true...

I am sure your are all familiar with the story, however, I think that i couldn't spoil it for you because it's all the visual direction that's so extraordinary and original. At it's basic level, the story follows the characters' adventures and interactions through out the film and we're getting right into their own mind and destinies that brought them together. The movie exactly feels like it's a beginning of something very big... the whole friendship and personalities of all swordsmen is still not as tight, clear and developed... and that's a good thing as we'll be slowly witnessing the whole build up of the characters through the entire series.

Just like many other Tsui Hark's films, "Seven Swords" is gorgeous. The action and costume design in the film is extraordinary and there are so many frames that are just beautiful and indescribable, it's just something what has to be seen. The use of camera movement is as intriguing as the movement and choreography of the main swordsmen, and I really can't think of anything but this film or recollect any other wuxia film that could get even close to the monumental magnificence of "Seven Swords". It's great to know that there's so many others who were also so deeply affected by this incredible work of art.

The certain characters become in the mid of the film very colourful, and fleshed out enough so that the viewer feels they know them, but still not enough that they'd know everything about them, and that's one of the elements intentionally left out for many other sequels. The past is something what's haunting these characters, in many ways that is a thematic point of the film that is truly just about the destiny, redemption and peace and love that all the swordsmen want to achieve (and hopefully "will" achieve in the process of the ongoing sequels) and as we follow the moving and struggling drama between and in the minds of the characters we may even come to understand something within ourselves. It is truly a very humanistically inspirational for the viewers, and should be noted that much more so than was even "Seven Samurai". Seven Swords is just a brilliant example of the true power of the cinema. And Tsui Hark once again proves that he's an unadulterated cinematic genius. It seems that some people still don't know what film can do to the viewer's senses, Tsui Hark does.

I have seen many Tsui Hark movies, if not all, and many wuxia films, and a great deal of solid martial arts films. Believe me, this is by far one of the best. It's a highly artistic and spiritual wuxia film. However, the pacing, action choreography incredibly helped by the dizzing whirl of shaky camera and the editing. Moreover, the romantic entanglements rank among the most effectively and innovatively pulled off complex devices in the recent memory. Those who think otherwise probably are still not aware how far the world cinema can also go. They need to see more movies to see different alternatives. This is a movie some average Joe would definitely not fully comprehend and that's probably why i have to recommend this film to people who are interested in movies that can mainly deeply enlighten them and show them new dimensions and possibilities in the film magic. These people at least deserve to see this masterpiece.

To others, go back to pretentious Hero, Crouching piece of Hidden crap and House of Flying Elephants and continue to have as empty life as i'm sure you have. It's obvious that "Seven Swords" is way too good for you.

10/10 The only complaint i have: I wish i could give it more than ten!