The same year which would see the release of Tsui Hark's much celebrated wuxia outing “Zu Warriors from the Magic Mountain” coincided with Chang Pang-yee's “The Night Orchid” arriving in cinemas. Even though the former is more known among cinephiles, both movies share a similar approach to their stories, a blend of martial arts and sword fighting, spiced with humour and fantasy. Also known as “Demon Fighter” or “Faster Blade Poisonous Darts”, the latter is an adaptation of Gu Long's novel of the same title, and typical for the kind of genre features the Taiwanese movie industry had been known for at the time. While Chang Peng-yi does not divert from the formula too much, perhaps “The Night Orchid” is worthwhile due to its visuals, which often border on being surreal or even going into horror territory.
The Night Orchid is screening at Old School Kung Fu Fest
After the tragic outcome of a duel, sword master and detective Chu Liu-xiang (Adam Cheng) has been missing for many years with only a few of his most trusted associates knowing his whereabouts. However, he has to re-appear when a band of assailants attack his friends, with him being unable to stop the killing and pursue the black-clothed hitmen that seemingly dissolve into thin air. Certain another attack will soon follow, he decides to stick around until the person behind all of this may show his or her face.
Eventually, after many fights and interrogations, Chu learns of a Persian prince named Lang Lai (Don Wong) who might be the person behind the attacks and the death of his friends. With the help of Su-su (Brigitte Lin) he seeks to confront the prince in his fortress – a dangerous undertaking as he not only has to face countless killers, but also the many traps in the castle too.
With regards to its story and its execution, there is a lot to take in if you want to watch “The Night Orchid”. Even though the feature runs at a solid 93 minutes, the sheer amount of events happening and the fast-paced narrative will make your head spin for the whole duration of the movie. At the same time, this may not be a bad aspect, as the feature is clearly structured to offer this kind of roller coaster-ride-experience, which it delivers. Consequently, you should not wonder if certain people or items appear in one scene and are shown as being very special and important, whereas a minute later they are gone and do not re-appear.
The reason why many of the above mentioned aspects do not matter that much are due to the hero and the performers. Experienced actor Adam Cheng has a blast as Chu Liu-xiang, a popular character in Taiwan and beyond its borders, and plays him with great charisma, charm and humour, making each scene and encounter a sheer delight. Especially his chemistry with other members of the cast, most notably, Brigitte Lin, who also has a chance to present her prowess in this kind of genre, stand out and add to the entertainment the feature has to offer.
Additionally, the fight scenes are quite artful and well-choreographed. The acting and most specifically the editing make each of them quite a sight to behold, although some outlandish events happen in them. From people suddenly vanishing into thin air or a ninja jumping out of a woman's uterus, there are quite a lot of attractions in this roller coaster ride, and you should not question any of these events.
In conclusion, “The Night Orchid” is a fast-paced wuxia with a lot of humour and a great cast. Chang Peng-yi's feature is perhaps not the most artistic and thought-provoking entry into the genre, but iot certainly one of the more entertaining ones, even though you should not question some of the events happening on screen.
