Today’s quick review: 14 Blades. As the leader of the Jinyiwei, the Ming Emperor’s secret guards, Qinglong (Donnie Yen) carries out the Emperor’s will outside the law. While on a mission, Qingling is ambushed, his men are killed, and the Imperial Seal is stolen by Tuo Tuo (Kate Tsui), the daughter of the treasonous Prince Qing (Sammo Hung). To get the seal back, Qinglong must rely on the help of Qiao Hua (Wei Zhao), the duaghter of a humble bodyguard.
14 Blades is a martial arts action movie about an elite warrior who must atone for his failure by preventing a coup. Inventive action, a touch of fantasy, and a sprawling plot are the movie’s main draws. However, 14 Blades does not quite manage to follow through on its promises. The fights are more flashy than satisfying, and the plot lacks focus. The result is a modestly entertaining watch that doesn’t stand out from the crowd.
14 Blades’ greatest successes and greatest failures have to do with its action. The fights involve swords, crossbows, and a variety of weaponry. Wire stunts and a dash of CGI help them feel larger-than-life. But the busy visual style of the action makes it hard to invest in. 14 Blades throws out camera tricks and special effects blithely. As such, the action has a fair amount of spectacle but lacks artistry and precision.
As for its story, 14 Blades is a shade more complex than is truly necessary. The conspiracy against the Emperor is a sprawling affair, involving a stolen seal, a corrupt councilor (Law Kar-Ying), a traitorous general (Qi Yu Wu), a desert bandit (Chun Wu), and a fortune in gold. The individual elements are all fine, but the story does not have the dramatic chops to make them all worthwhile. The plot ends up being decent but overblown.
14 Blades is a reasonable pick if you’re in the mood for some action but don’t need to be impressed. It offers enough in the way of fighting to please fans of the genre, while its plot handles the basics well in spite of its frills. But those looking for sharper action, better thrills, or a more focused story would be better off looking elsewhere.
For a martial arts action movie that makes better use of wire stunts, try Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon or Hero. For an action movie set in historical Asia with even more explicit fantasy, try 47 Ronin or The Great Wall.
6.4 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.0 to 6.5 for mixed execution of both its action and plot.