The Butcher's Blade

Story: Buyi (Liu Fengchao) is a constable; while he never quite summons the courage to stand up against injustice, neither is he willing to become as corrupt as many of his colleagues. When he is once again forced to watch as a criminal he has apprehended is released — simply because his superior received a hefty bribe to let him go — Buyi finds himself at a crossroads. He wants to do the right thing, yet he also wishes to provide financial assistance to the owner of a local noodle shop. Furthermore, he yearns to finally earn the respect he deserves. Consequently, he approaches his superior to request a position that offers higher pay. As a result, he is assigned to guard a large shipment of money intended to aid the city's flood victims. Tragically, Buyi's entire unit is killed, he alone survives. He manages to capture at least one of the thieves; however, he himself now falls under suspicion of having betrayed the secret transport routes for the cash shipment. He is imprisoned but is subsequently released by Huang Shining (Shanshan Chunyu), who was once his instructor and mentor. Ten years prior, Buyi had been a member of the renowned Eagle Hall, though he had abandoned his training there before completion. Now, he is tasked with unmasking the true masterminds behind the heist and is granted a second chance to finish his training. Yet his enemies lie in wait in places he would never have suspected...

Review: There have certainly been worse times for Wuxia enthusiasts. Fortunately, filmmakers have now moved away from bringing pseudo-blockbusters to the screen - films that, due to their terrible CGI, tend to feel more jarring than anything else. "The Butcher's Blade" is grounded and only very rarely employs (unconvincing) computer effects. Instead, the film scores points with beautiful sets, characters that are actually quite well-written, and a storyline that incorporates elements of a crime thriller. The fight sequences, too, offer plenty of ingenuity to admire. Clocking in at 90 minutes, the story manages to avoid any narrative lulls; consequently, there is actually very little to criticize in this Wuxia feature - provided, of course, that you have an affinity for the genre. That pretty much covers all the essentials; nevertheless, a few points remain that left me feeling slightly disappointed, as the story’s potential suggested it could have offered so much more.

First off, how much fantasy one desires in a Wuxia film is a matter of personal taste. For my part, I prefer movies like "Invincible Swordsman", in which the "Jianghu" takes center stage. However, not every entry in the genre can — or should — be based on the novels of Jin Yong. In "The Butcher's Blade", there are no flying swordsmen; gravity is defied only sparingly here and there. Some viewers might even find this preferable. What undoubtedly benefits from this approach are the fight sequences, which forgo exaggerated wire-fu in favor of excellent choreography. Let’s dwell briefly on these violent confrontations. Initially, I was somewhat skeptical, as the opening sequences featured rapid editing, leading me to fear that this technique was being used to mask deficiencies in either the choreography or the performers' skills. As a brief behind-the-scenes glimpse during the closing credits reveals, though, this is not the case. The entire cast demonstrates a masterful command of their craft, throwing themselves into the action with total physical commitment. Moreover, once the introductory phase has passed, it becomes clear that the film generally manages without those aforementioned hyper-fast cuts. Yet the fight scenes gain even more vibrancy thanks to another element entirely.

By the time the credits roll, you’ll likely find yourself wondering why the film is titled "The Butcher's Blade". After all, that particular weapon never actually makes an appearance. Instead, however, there are other inventive weapons on display. There is, for instance, a long, wet cloth that, thanks to the fighter's skill, can effectively transform into a staff (though you do have to overlook the fact that, here and there, an actual staff hidden beneath the fabric becomes rather obvious...). Then there are the strings of a musical instrument, used to equally creative effect. The director also shows considerable ingenuity when it comes to the sets: there is a fight amidst hanging cloths; another sequence features fireworks exploding all around the combatants - a visually striking effect — and the film culminates in a showdown atop a scaffold. All in all, it must be stressed that martial arts enthusiasts will certainly get their money's worth. That said, I occasionally felt that something was missing, even if I can't quite put my finger on exactly what it is. Perhaps the blows sometimes lacked the necessary "oomph", or — more likely — I simply wasn't quite in the mood for fight scenes. After all, that happens to the best of us...

Fortunately, though, the film offers more than just fight scenes. The story revolves around a constable who has never been able to assert himself and now sees his chance to earn respect. He gets a taste of what it means to wield power, but also witnesses how it corrupts others. He thus finds himself caught between two opposing poles: no longer being a loser and holding power in his own hands; or doing the right thing, yet having to watch as he proves unable to change anything of substance. This is a fascinating premise, though there was far more that could have been made of it. The reunion with an old friend, for instance, is promising, yet it fails to develop into anything substantial. The "love interest" is also only loosely woven into the narrative; the noodle shop owner lacks any real character of her own and appears on screen far too briefly. One might also have wished for a bit more insight into the villain's character — though, in his case at least, one ultimately gets the impression that he fulfills his role within the context of the story quite adequately. All in all, however, the protagonist's inner conflict could have been portrayed much more distinctly.

Surprisingly, a great deal of effort went into the crime storyline. While one could criticize the fact that, in the end, the plot consists of little more than chasing from one clue to the next, it is nonetheless executed coherently; it maintains a consistently brisk pace and provides the narrative with a solid foundation, something not found in every "wuxia" film. Still, there are no genuine plot twists to be found. Fundamentally — and thankfully so — the characters are not entirely lifeless; while our protagonist arguably deserved a bit more depth, he carries us through the film quite capably. Furthermore, the action sequences deliver. Strictly speaking, with a runtime of roughly 80 minutes, the film was likely a tad too short, which is perhaps why, after all was said and done, a summary of the whole story was tacked on at the end (complete with a song, naturally) — a choice that proves utterly baffling. It is details such as these that compel me to dock the film a few points. Nevertheless: Fans of the genre certainly won't go wrong with this one.

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