I was quite surprised to see this movie show up at my local Blockbuster. I'd heard of it before, but I knew it's a relatively unknown movie in North America. Here are my (disorganized) thoughts on it.
I must say that it was a very pleasant surprise for me. I knew this movie was notorious for its use of SFX, but the way they are used for the fight scenes is visually creative, and are very much reminiscent of what one would see in a FINAL FANTASY video game (VII and later). It also brought to mind the mystical warriors of BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA, which was possibly an inspiration for the filmmakers.
I also enjoyed the soundtrack and the gorgeous sets. Some of the storytelling techniques used were initially jarring, but I quickly got used to them. The dubbing was competent, and did not bother me as much as it usually does. Sonny Chiba's portrayal of 'Lord Conquer' brought a lot to this movie, what a great villain. Qi Shu was lovely!
I must say that it was a very pleasant surprise for me. I knew this movie was notorious for its use of SFX, but the way they are used for the fight scenes is visually creative, and are very much reminiscent of what one would see in a FINAL FANTASY video game (VII and later). It also brought to mind the mystical warriors of BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA, which was possibly an inspiration for the filmmakers.
I also enjoyed the soundtrack and the gorgeous sets. Some of the storytelling techniques used were initially jarring, but I quickly got used to them. The dubbing was competent, and did not bother me as much as it usually does. Sonny Chiba's portrayal of 'Lord Conquer' brought a lot to this movie, what a great villain. Qi Shu was lovely!