SPOILER: Chinese martial arts movies have a history of strong female martial artists as lead characters. Josephine Siao, Connie Chan, and Betty Lo Tieh took many lead roles in the 1960s going against male villains such as Sek Kin. Chang Cheh directed "One-Armed Swordsman" in 1967 and starting there, let me just say he had a different opinion about women in martial arts movies. I consider this movie his masterpiece. The life blood of a good movie is conflict. Conflict is to the fourth power in this movie. The male leads despite being blood brothers are always in conflict. Then there's that troublesome woman. I love when a movie starts by giving away the ending. David Chiang will be executed without doubt from scene one. Telling the story from his point of view is the best choice. He is the moderator, the peace keeper, he sees everything going on and he tries to stop it all from going to hell. Also unusual is the fact that there is no villain in this movie. In a way each lead character's fatal flaw is the villain. There is no overcoming of fatal flaws so in a sense all four villains win in this tragedy. I would love to see the movie expanded to one of those 80 episode dramas like Heavenly Sword and Dragon Saber.
Review of Dynasty of Blood
