Well, that's probably going a bit far. Yet underneath all the swordplay, fu and flashy weapons lurk quite strong Shakespearian echoes, with a mixture of the plot elements of Hamlet and Macbeth.

Though a little slow in the first half, this film remains watchable throughout, and for a mixture of reasons. There is a strong cast of great fu warriors, all used to at least good effect. There are a number of scenes bordering on the surreal, made more so by spooky sound design and some eerie background music. The story moves along at a good pace during the second half, bringing in all manner of wild and weird characters, mostly fighters of course.

Warmly recommended.