Swordsman II

Swordsman II, also known as The Legend of the Swordsman, is a 1992 Hong Kong wuxia film. It was directed by Ching Siu-tung and Stanley Tong and written by Hanson Chan, Tang Pik-yin and Tsui Hark. The film was the second part of a trilogy. It starred Jet Li, Brigitte Lin, Rosamund Kwan and Michelle Reis. The film was adapted from Louis Cha's novel The Smiling, Proud Wanderer. The theme song of the film, Xiao Hongchen (笑紅塵), was performed by Sarah Chen. The theme song from The Swordsman, Chong Hoi Yat Sing Siu (滄海一聲笑), was played in a few scenes in the film.

Plot

Linghu Chong, Yue Lingshan and members of the Mount Hua Sect are planning to retire from the jianghu (martial artists' community). They learn that Dongfang Bubai has seized control of the Sun Moon Holy Cult and is secretly plotting with some wokou (Japanese pirates) to rebel against the imperial court and dominate China. Dongfang Bubai had castrated himself in order to master the skills in the Sunflower Manual, and his appearance has become more feminine, even though he is now a formidable pugilist. Linghu Chong meets Dongfang Bubai by chance (without knowing Dongfang's true identity), mistakes him for a beautiful young woman, and falls in love with "her". Linghu Chong is distracted by Dongfang Bubai's lover, Shishi, and Dongfang uses the opportunity to kill Linghu's fellows. Linghu Chong is knocked out and imprisoned in an underground dungeon later, where he meets Ren Woxing by coincidence and both of them escape from the prison together. Linghu Chong brings Yue Lingshan, Ren Yingying, Ren Woxing and Xiang Wentian with him to confront Dongfang Bubai later and Dongfang dies after falling off a cliff. Ren Woxing regains control of his sect and starts killing the traitors who defected to Dongfang Bubai. Before the film ends, Linghu Chong and Yue Lingshan leave secretly with Ren Yingying's help as they know Ren Woxing cannot tolerate them.

Cast

• Jet Li as Linghu Chong (Ling Wu Chung), oldest student of the Mount Hua Sect
• Brigitte Lin as Dongfang Bubai (Invincible Asia), leader of the Sun Moon Holy Cult
• Michelle Reis as Yue Lingshan (Kiddo), Linghu Chong's junior
• Rosamund Kwan as Ren Yingying, Linghu Chong's love interest and Ren Woxing's daughter
• Waise Lee as Fubu Qianjun (Hattori), the wokou leader
• Chin Kar-lok as Yuanfei Riyue (Saru), Fubu Qianjun's henchman
• Lau Shun as Xiang Wentian (Zen), an elder of the Sun Moon Holy Cult
• Fennie Yuen as Lan Fenghuang (Blue Phoenix), Ren Yingying's follower
• Yen Shi-kwan as Ren Woxing (Wu), former leader of the Sun Moon Holy Cult
• Candice Yu as Shishi (Cici), Dongfang Bubai's lover
• Cheung Kwok-leung as Eunuch Hong
• Wong Chi-yeung as the interpreter
• Yeung Wah

Alternative versions

• The U.S. release has nine minutes of the original film cut. It is dubbed in English and retains the original music score. It is titled Legend of the Swordsman.

• The Hong Kong release is in Cantonese and retains the nine minutes of extended footage and gory violence.

• The Taiwanese version contains an additional four minutes of rare extended and gory footage that was removed in the U.S. and Hong Kong releases. The total run time of the film is 112 minutes. It has some different music scores and Jet Li's original Mandarin voice is featured.

• Some scenes from the Hong Kong version that differ from the U.S. R-rated release include:

1. The title sequence after the head-ripping scene is in Chinese instead of English.
2. The scene showing Linghu Chong and Yue Lingshan burning grass is cut from the U.S. release.
3. The scene showing Ren Yingying singing Xiaoao Jianghu is cut from the U.S. release.
4. Dongfang Bubai's blood-spurting scene is cut from the U.S. release.
5. The scene showing a head rolling down the stairs is cut from the U.S. release.

Production

In the Mandarin-dubbed version of the film, Rosamund Kwan and Fennie Yuen speak with a Sichuan accent. This was meant to enhance the fact that their characters are of the Miao ethnic group.

Box office

The film grossed HK$34,462,861 at the Hong Kong box office.

External links

• Swordsman II at the Internet Movie Database