THE BLADE is Tsui Hark’s loose remake of the famed ONE ARMED SWORDSMAN. However, he goes far beyond that earlier film – in fact, he goes to places rarely if ever seen in a martial arts movie. The genre usually gives us a certain idealistic message, or surrounds us with highflying fantasy, or (in its worst state) repeats the mindless, “I must avenge my master!” paradigm. Instead, we are treated to a very different experience.

The story is told via the voiceover of a young woman who is interested in two male childhood friends, one of whom eventually becomes the one-armed swordsman. What’s so fascinating about this is that voiceovers usually offer a neutral perspective, or at the very least, a sane one. In this case, we ultimately realize that the woman in question is driven by very shallow and egocentric desires, thus her guiding dialogue reflects her limited perspectives. As she descends into isolation and madness, the whole mood of the film mirrors her internal sense of loss, with each character living out their own version of deprivation and emotional schism.

As the mood projected by the voiceover’s emotional desolation becomes reflected in the ever-darkening visage of the characters, the locales, and a rapid escalation into an amazing form of frenetic violence, picks up the pace and creates an extremely compelling, multi-faceted form of intensity.

Several stories are actually being told under the umbrella of the young woman’s needy manipulations: One shows her colorless life as the daughter of the owner of a blade factory. A “woman in peril” situation leads to the loss of our main character’s arm. The second young man (the other object of her affection) is drawn into her fever-dream, and his life is also changed forever as a result. Other storylines are even deeper and, at times, more surreal, with each individual trying to find their place in this chaotic and hopeless landscape.

Brilliantly directed and conceived, this original, viscerally violent film takes us to places that few films ever do. The cinematography, use of camera angles, and the raw energy of the performances burn the many alien images into our minds. In the end, we’re left with an unforgettable masterpiece that should not be missed.