A Disappointing Continuation

Blending excellent reporting and strong storytelling, this is a disturbing film truly stranger than fiction

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

The initial five minutes spent explaining how Emperor Chien Lung (Pai Piao) is a Han rather than a Ching, was like watching a Y&R recap. The story immediately moves to plots involving the adult Emperor. Chief Chou Chung Ying (Ku Feng) is hiding Wen Tai Lai ( Teng Wei-Hao), Lai's wife, Lo Ping (JoJo Chan Kei-Kei) and their charge, Yu Yu Tong (Ku Kuan-Chung) from the Emperor due to Tai Lai knowing the truth background of the Emperor. Ying's wife (Teresa Ha Ping) hides the trio in a cellar when the Emperor's troops led by Chang Chao Chung (Lieh Lo), come searching for them. A telescope becomes a bargaining tool to find Tai Lai and the others. Ying's young son gives up their location in exchange for the telescope.Tai Lai is taken away and the Ying Manor must follow protocol when dealing with a traitor. This was not a scene that sat well with me. This was a child who simply wanted a telescope and was used by adults for their own agenda. I get needing to uphold rules and regs - but this was a child. Ying carries out protocol despite household protests and his own feelings. The scene is dimmed to nearly shadowy effect to curb the fact Ying kills his only son.Chen Chia Lo (Ti Lung), who has become head of the Hung Hua Society following his father's death, learns of Tai Lai's capture and the Ying Manor betrayal and heads off to ask that the traitor be handed over to the society for judgement. This is where things get muddled. There are fights before introductions that lead to the usual misunderstandings in these types of movies. Lo seems to apologize for behavior more than act like the head of a society. While he has mad fight skills, the constant "apologizing" was annoying.Lo encounters Emperor Lung on a few occasions, exchanging small talk and showing off fighting capabilities between Lo and Lung's security. Lo's skills easily defeat the security. When Lo and his entourage arrive at Ying's Manor, there is of course, another fight. The comments between Ying's daughter, Chou Qi (Candy Wen Xue-Er) and Lo's No. 7, Hu Tin Wang (Sun Chien) while they fight is sparked with obvius attraction. This will later lead up to a compromising position for the duo, which to save face, will mean matrimony.Lo's demand to surrender the Ying Mano traitor leads to Ying admitting what happened with his son. He shows Lo the casket and asks Lo to take it with him. Lo makes amends and the two discuss how to rescue Lai Tai from the Emperor. The discussion is halted by the announcement the palace troops are at the door and it's necessary fro everyone to scatter.There are attempts to rescue Tai Lai that always seem to go awry. One even involves nearly everyone in Hung Hua Society being surrounded by Chung's troops in a building filled with dynamite. They are rescued at the 11th hour by Yu Yu Tong, who has become a Shaolin Monk following an admittance of unrequited love to Tai Lai's wife. The fight scenes are more competitions, a fresh take from the usual duels to the death I am accustom to seeing in Wushu movies. Lo's Peacock style is definitely interesting. It reminds me of astroprojection, though Lo's projections seem to be more of an annoyance to the opponent than an actual threat.The final encounter between Lo and Chung is another competition, although one opponent does die. One competition involves a woman holding onto fabric on which her companion is balancing, while she is sword fighting with the other hand. The escape is the best part of the competition. It was definitely not how I expected it to end.This movie left too many unanswered questions. Why didn't anyone go get the proof showing the Emperor was a Han? What's going on with Chou Qi and Lo's No. 7, Hu Tin Wang? How exactly are things going with the fight to return the Han Dynasty to power? Why didn't the Emperor do any fighting on his own? Why didn't the Emperor have Lo arrested to keep his mouth shut about the truth? Is there a follow up movie, because these things need to be answered.

THE EMPEROR AND HIS BROTHER is a densely-plotted Shaw Brothers adventure about a Chinese emperor with a questionable lineage and his allies and enemies fighting in a fixed battle for supremacy. It's another adaptation of a historical novel by popular author Louis Cha, although not as good as THE SWORD STAINED WITH ROYAL BLOOD, which Chang Cheh filmed the same year with the Venoms. The director is none other than Chor Yuen, and the good news is that it's one of his better productions.The worst thing about this? The first five minutes. If you can get through that intensely confusing, quick-fire back story then the rest of the film's okay. What I did find weird is that the stuff about the emperor (played by Shaw regular Jason Pai Piao) is actually extraneous to the plot which is more about the rival factions working for and against him. The film's best set-piece isn't a fight scene, which is unusual; it's the bit in which Ku Feng's son sells out his family in return for a telescope, a fantastic bit of drama, cunning, and tragedy.Ti Lung is the erstwhile hero in this and pops up to fight here and there. His 'peacock' style sees the camera slow down for some trickery (the same was done in one of the Bruce Lee films) which looks cool and I always admire the basic camera tricks and effects. Lo Lieh is the villain of the piece but not particularly villainous, just on an opposing political side. The likes of Chan Shen and Yuen Wah are welcome in support, and the fight scenes are typically well staged for this genre.

The beginning is promising. A young boy betrays his family who hides a refugee and tells the pursuer (Lo Lieh) where the hiding-place is - just because he wants a valuable telescope for reward. His father decides to kill the boy in order to restore the honor of the family. This tragic occurrence leads us into a colorful action adventure in extraordinarily beautiful studio sets which unfortunately is not free from problems. Too many characters are introduced which creates some confusion regarding what the conspiracy is all about and takes away attention from the emperor Chien Lung (Pai Piao). The movie slows down too often; a few scenes like the discussion about how the meal for the emperor should be cooked, or a musical competition between girls at the court are not necessary. Still I recommend to watch the movie till the end, because the creative fights against a bunch of warriors in red cloaks are fun - plus Ti Lung makes a great hero!