Review Wanted: The Duel
07-06-01, 12:47 PM
#2
New Member
Join Date: Jul 2001
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The Duel DVD
The film I believe is made by the same team that gave us: The Storm Riders and The Man Called Hero.
I was a bit disappointed about the small screen time that the two stars Andy Lau and Ekin Cheng had in this movie.
The bulk of the movie centered on a comedic actor playing an government secret agent....kinda boring...
But if you're a fan like me...then the fighting sequences and special effects are worth the purchase. Plus it has a special feature documentary on making the film.
I was a bit disappointed about the small screen time that the two stars Andy Lau and Ekin Cheng had in this movie.
The bulk of the movie centered on a comedic actor playing an government secret agent....kinda boring...
But if you're a fan like me...then the fighting sequences and special effects are worth the purchase. Plus it has a special feature documentary on making the film.
07-07-01, 09:59 PM
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Berkeley, CA
Posts: 324
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
This film is excellent, IMHO. I really love the look of the special digital effects that director Andrew Lau's films have. They always have this nice organic look that American digital effects don't seem to have very often.
Aside from that, the cinematography and set design is beautiful. This is one of those movies you could watch without sound and still be blown away by.
But, on top of all that, there is sound, and there is a story, and there is acting. All of it is excellent.
Aside from that, the cinematography and set design is beautiful. This is one of those movies you could watch without sound and still be blown away by.
But, on top of all that, there is sound, and there is a story, and there is acting. All of it is excellent.
07-08-01, 04:15 AM
#4
Member
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: in a 2.35:1 Aspect Ratio
Posts: 66
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
When I first saw heard about The Duel, I thought it was going to be like the Stormriders, since it led such a big cast and had Andrew Lau on the helm. But it turned out more like a Wong Jing movie with hardly any fights in it. The only decent one was the actual duel at the end. I thought whoever did the dub for the princess who loved the Andy Lau character did a pretty bad job. I would rant more about this movie, but if you don't expect a big budget special effects movie like the Stormriders, you might have fun.
07-08-01, 05:05 AM
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Berkeley, CA
Posts: 324
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I was kind of surprised to see your review... I feel almost the opposite: that the final duel didn't live up to the rest of the film, which I greatly enjoyed. I liked the characters and the general "look" of the film a great deal. Andrew Lau created an interesting world that we got to visit for an hour and a half.
I'm starting to notice with a lot of Andrew Lau films, though, that I enjoy the body of the film a great deal; but that they build and build until he can't really deliver the climactic ending you're expecting by the end of the film. Especially so with the ending to "A Man Called Hero": a great film, but the ending wasn't quite satisfying enough. And similarly with "The Duel": the end fight was excellent, but seemed like too quick of a wrap-up for all that preceeded it.
Anyway, that's my 2 cents... 4 cents... no more than a nickel in any case.
I'm starting to notice with a lot of Andrew Lau films, though, that I enjoy the body of the film a great deal; but that they build and build until he can't really deliver the climactic ending you're expecting by the end of the film. Especially so with the ending to "A Man Called Hero": a great film, but the ending wasn't quite satisfying enough. And similarly with "The Duel": the end fight was excellent, but seemed like too quick of a wrap-up for all that preceeded it.
Anyway, that's my 2 cents... 4 cents... no more than a nickel in any case.
