THE SWORD OF SWORDS is one of the early Shaw Brothers movies to capitalise on the new-found stardom of Jimmy Wang Yu, who had achieved success with his turn in Chang Cheh's ONE-ARMED SWORDSMAN. Cheh found this film's story silly, apparently, so somebody else directed, but the good news is that the quality remains very good despite the lack of the great man's presence.
Wang Yu plays a youthful martial arts student whose dying master owns the titular weapon, which has incredible magic powers. Unfortunately, elder student Tien Feng covets the weapon and is happy to commit murder to get his hands on it. The story that follows goes on a little too long, but it's filled with action that gets better and better - and bloodier and bloodier - as it goes on. Feng makes for a truly worthwhile foe, as he always did, and Wang Yu's heroism is never in doubt. The film also has some extraordinary nihilistic moments, like the attack on Wang Yu that ends in disaster; a more visceral moment you couldn't imagine. Things culminate in a lavish, large-scale climax that doesn't disappoint.
Wang Yu plays a youthful martial arts student whose dying master owns the titular weapon, which has incredible magic powers. Unfortunately, elder student Tien Feng covets the weapon and is happy to commit murder to get his hands on it. The story that follows goes on a little too long, but it's filled with action that gets better and better - and bloodier and bloodier - as it goes on. Feng makes for a truly worthwhile foe, as he always did, and Wang Yu's heroism is never in doubt. The film also has some extraordinary nihilistic moments, like the attack on Wang Yu that ends in disaster; a more visceral moment you couldn't imagine. Things culminate in a lavish, large-scale climax that doesn't disappoint.