Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Graphic
- flamboyant
- playful
- romantic
- martial arts movie night
- cult cinema night
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The stolen martial arts scroll motivates the Emperor's army, competing schools, the illegal sect, samurai, and snake-wielding warriors.
The plot combines swordplay, rival schools, Japanese samurai, an unusual snake-wielding tribe, and multiple romantic entanglements.
Ling Wu Chung is romantically entangled with Kiddo, a Japanese woman, Blue Phoenix, and Princess Yin-Yin while navigating factional conflict.
The protagonist is tied to his own martial arts school while being pursued by its leader, rival schools, sects, and foreign warriors.
Films like Swordsman, and why
The Bride with White Hair
shared wuxia adventure, elaborate martial arts rivalries, romantic intrigue, and flamboyant period fantasy
The East Is Red
shared Hong Kong wuxia tradition, competing martial arts factions, supernatural-leaning spectacle, and fast-moving intrigue
Dragon Inn
shared martial arts action, secret scroll mythology, comic energy, and colorful ensemble rivalries
Swordsman II
shared swordplay spectacle, factional conflict, romantic complications, and stylized wuxia adventure
Movie Details
- Directors
- King Hu, Tsui Hark, Tony Ching Siu-Tung, Raymond Lee Wai-Man
- Release Date
- 1990-04-05
- Runtime
- 117 min
- Rating
- 7.0 / 10 (96)
Cast
- Sam Hui
- Cecilia Yip Tung
- Jacky Cheung Hok-Yau
- Sharla Cheung Man
- Fennie Yuen Kit-Ying
- Lau Siu-Ming
- Yuen Wah
- Lau Shun
- Lam Ching-Ying
- Wu Ma
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Criterion Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Swordsman about?
- A charismatic young blademaster becomes the unwilling prize in a flamboyant wuxia struggle over a stolen scroll of martial arts secrets.
- What is Swordsman like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Swordsman as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Swordsman violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Swordsman as graphic.
- Which films are like Swordsman?
- Films with a similar feel include The Bride with White Hair, The East Is Red, Dragon Inn, and Swordsman II.
- How long is Swordsman?
- Swordsman runs 117 minutes.
- Where can I watch Swordsman?
- In United States, Swordsman streams on Criterion Channel.
