Yellow River Fighter is a mainland film that stars Yu Cheng-Hui, best known for his role in the Jet Li classic Kids from Shaolin. In this film he plays Ma Yi, a wandering swordsman bent on avenging the death of his daughter, who happens to save the life of a warlord and is taken in to be one of his main fighters. Unfortunately for Yi, all the powerful leaders vying for control of the country are willing to do anything to gain his services, even if it means failure to do so leads to Yis death. Not able trust anyone, eventually Yi grows tired of the constant battles and tries to leave and lead a life of solitude. Things are never that easy though.
Yellow River Fighter has almost the same cast as Kids from Shaolin, minus Jet Li of course. As can be expected from Mainland China productions, the kung fu and swordplay is absolutely amazing. Yu Cheng-Hui is one of a handful of actors whose sword skills are beyond anything youll see in other films, and the choreography matches the ability. All of the fight scenes are fast and hair-raising, with weapons barely missing their targets and copious amounts of blood being shed. The plot on the other hand is unusually dark and depressing. Even the main characters are never safe from being dispatched in a gruesome way. In any case, recommended for the exquisite weapon work even if the story will leave you in the dumps.
Reviewer Score: 8
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