Martial cinema has always been an equal opportunity domain. We have One Armed Swordsmen, The Crippled Avengers and fittingly here a history of Blind Swordsmen exemplified by the Zatoichi series. These individuals would all have exceptional skill to make up for their disability and give countless opportunities for scriptwriters to create ingenious ways to put them in danger. As Well Go USA release “Eye for an Eye: The Blind Swordsman onto Blu Ray, it's an opportunity to observe how the latest incarnation sits among his peers.
Blind Cheng (Xie Miao) is a Ghost Killer for Dali Temple, a bounty hunter returning with his latest capture. On route, he smells freshly made wine made by Ni Yan (Weiman Gao) for her wedding day. Invited to attend, he witnesses the arrival of her brother Ni Jun, then falls asleep by his horse. Awakening, he finds the aftermath of a massacre with only Ni Yan left alive. With officials unwilling to take on the Yuwen family who are responsible, it is left to Cheng to act as the force of vengeance.
Xie Maio as Blind Cheng follows in the tradition of the classic portrayals of Zatoichi. Like the venerable swordsman, his character is fond of wine and an unerring ability to walk into trouble. Cheng's background is slightly different from Zatoichi's in that we latterly learn of his previous military history, whereas Zatoichi remains in his incarnations as a masseuse befitting the cultural perceptions of the time his appearances were set. In a more a patriotic era of Chinese cinema, it is perhaps not surprising that the back story for Cheng gets a bit more oomph.
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The opening sequence plays off nicely the original series with Cheng using his exceptional hearing skills to beat the house. One of Zatoichi's weaknesses was his love of gambling (something inherent in most Hong Kong characters too!) so the reveal that it is just part of a ploy to uncover a villain marks him up as a wilier individual. With such a short running time (77 minutes), characterization is minimal due to the constraints, hence the need for visual (irony I know) indicators. Unusually, there is equally as much hand movement as swordplay here as the choreographers use Xie Miao's talent to the max. It provides a variety of action sequences that utilise the character to its advantage and never outstay their welcome.
The finale is one of the most visually arresting sequences seen in quiet some time. A throwback to the snowbound confrontations of classic swordplay and chanbara features. It's an ideal combination and makes for a good aesthetic as the blood stains the snowy floors. It continues into an excellent final confrontation as Yuwen Ying utilizes his archery skills to become a very dangerous opponent to Blind Cheng. It's a thrilling final reel with cinematography to match. The last scenes are virtually monochrome with the night and snow creating an artistic touch with which to conclude.
Due to its low budget the CGI at times jar glaringly. The flaming sword sequence (familiar to those that have seen Azumi) on paper looks really cool but the execution sadly is far from it. It's also quite a brutal film with some inventive torture sequences that remind you that Blind Cheng, whilst regaining his nobility, is just as capable of inflicting pain as his enemies. One garroting is both inventive and nasty.
The short run time means we don't get to explore the relationships in depth, and this is a pity as Cheng and Lady Qiy have one that intrigues. Initially set up as the “controller” for Cheng, we get snippets of their history and her clear affection. It's obvious from the outset his sight cannot be restored so is a potential set up for treachery. Instead, there is something a bit more interesting which means plot machinations never get resolved. Weiman Gao sadly gets far less to do and proceeds to spend the movie getting raped, left for dead (apparently has a tough neck in the best line of the film), captured again and tortured. Rescued and then disappear for the finish! So, she does well to engage empathy in what is a very lightly scripted role.
“Eye for an Eye: The Blind Swordsman” is more than the sum of its parts. Given it was created as a web movie with low budget, it carries itself with a swagger that belies this and with a visual style that elevates it to a higher plain. Inevitably, sometimes reality hits ambition and the effects jar when pushed to the forefront, and at 77 minute,s it would have benefited from an extra 10 minutes or so to add depth to the supporting cast. Xie Miao shows how well he has grown from child prodigy to lead actor. If they can overcome the restrictions and if this is to be an opening chapter, then I certainly look forward to further instalments.
