With the impending death of Emperor Ching, one candidate for the throne hires the lady assassin to get rid of another strong contender.
“The Lady Assassin,” directed by Tony Lou, is a 1983 release from the Shaw Brothers studio. This film’s title is a bit of a misnomer. It’s also a bit of a spoiler, along with the largest screen grab on the back of the box for this Blu-ray release. The titular character isn’t introduced until long into the movie, and she doesn’t do much assassinating during her screen time.
Lou’s film features a lot of fast-moving and well-choreographed swordplay. The fights in this film, of which there are many, are over-the-top in their action and frequently outside the realm of possibility. They are a spectacle to watch and one of the key reasons to view this movie.
As for the story, an emperor who knows he will soon die decrees to leave his kingdom to one of his many sons. Another of his more ambitious sons plots and succeeds in taking the throne from the rightful heir, doing whatever it takes to keep it. There’s plenty of palace intrigue throughout, especially between the thirty-minute and one-hour mark, where the fighting takes a backseat, and things become a tad slow. Don’t worry; the action picks up again for the final act.
The film’s transfer does the movie justice. It looks and sounds excellent, although it does not feature groundbreaking or revelatory pictures or sound. I noticed nothing distracting about the presentation.
This release is a limited edition featuring a slipcase and double-sided foldout poster exclusive to this edition. The on-disc features, which include an interview with Poon Kin-Kwan, a stills gallery, and the film’s trailer, are a little sparse.
Personally, I found the movie a little slow in spots despite the flashy fight sequences, particularly that middle section. I imagine fans of this film and this genre of filmmaking will want to get their hands on this disc. If you’re just mildly curious, I’d say wait for a sale or skip this one altogether.
Available on Blu-ray from 88 Films February 25th
