Ekin Dream /Ekin Cheng/Movies/Stormriders

Stormriders- 1998

Starring:
Ekin Cheng Yee-Kin
Aaron Kwok Fu-Shing
Kristy Yeung Kung-Yo
Sonny Chiba
Michael Tse Tin-Wah
Director: Andrew Lau Wai-Keung

Synopsis

Lord Conqueror (Sonny Chiba) is the head of the most prominent clan in the Martial Arts world. Wanting to be supreme he consults the prophet Mud Buddha to determine his destiny. The Mud Buddha tells him that he will be supreme if he takes for his disciples two children, Wind and Cloud.

Lord Conqueror searches for the children, and when he finds them kills their parents to ensure they stay with him. Together with another disciple, Frost (Michael Tse Tin-Wah)they grow to be the instruments of Lord Conqueror's power.

Ten years pass. The two disciples have distinct personalities, Cloud (Aaron Kwok) is introverted and unpredictable, while Wind (Ekin Cheng) is kind and honorable. Each has their own particular martial arts skill. Wind uses the power of air to perform Wind Kicks, while Cloud utilizes liquid, to make Cloud Palms a formidible weapon. Both disciples are enamoured of Lord Conqueror's daughter, Charity (Kristy Yeung) and each spends time with her.

Lord Conqueror is determined to be the supreme ruler. He sends his disciples off on a mission to help him achieve this. Cloud is sent to obtain a sword form a nearby clan. He is told to make sure that noone from the clan survives. Wind and Frost are sent to find the Mud Buddha so that Lord Conqueror can learn his destiny.

Despite being successful, Wind and Frost lose the Mud Buddha to an invincible martial artist. Unknown to them this is Lord Conqueror. Returning home, they refuse to enter the compound, feeling disgraced that their mission was unsuccessful.

Consulting again with the Mud Buddha, Lord Conqueror finds that his days of supremacy are numbered, and the disciples that made him are the ones who will also bring him down. Determined to ensure that doesn't happen, Lord Conqueror offers his daughter in marriage to Wind, knowing full well that Cloud loves her.

Cloud intervenes in the wedding carrying off Charity, Lord Conquerer goads Wind to challenge Cloud to get his wife back, and also in the hope that the two will destroy each other and be unable to challenge his might. As the two fight over Charity, Lord Conqueror prepares to kill the two of them. Unfortunately, Charity gets in the way and she is the one who is killed.

Each of the disciples mourn her in their own fashion. Wind retreating from the martial arts world, and finally searching for the sword of his father. Conqueror tries again to dispose of him, getting Cloud's companions to attempt to poison him. Wind is able to overcome the poison with the help of the powerful Bhoddi fruit in the cave of the Buddha. The fruit is guarded by a firebeast. Wind is able to find his fathers sword and lure the beast into a pool where it's fire is quenched.

Cloud loses his arm in a battle with Lord Conqueror to retain the body of Charity. Rescued by Muse he is given the fire arm of her father and returns to the clan to deal with Conqueror. In the meantime, Lord Conqueror prepares to do battle against the Sword Saint (Anthony Wong) a battle he has been waiting for for many years.

As the battle commences Wind and Cloud return to Conqueror Clan. Wind finding that the Mud Buddha has been imprisoned, he talks with him and learns the truth about the fate of his parents. Sharing the Bhoddi fruit with Cloud they enter the main hall just time to see Lord Conqueror kill their fellow disciple Frost. Enraged they press their attack, but as Lord Conqueror points out, he is their master, they are merely disciples.

Finally, Wind and Cloud realize that they must work together if they are going to defeat Lord Conqueror. The formless Wind and the unpredictible Cloud join together to become a storm of epic proportions, they attack and defeat Lord Conqueror.

Review

Stormriders was one of the top grossing films at the Hong Kong Box office in 1998. It is based on a famous martial arts comic book that has been running for more than nine years. The movie covers the first three years of the comic and as such is over ambitious. Unfortunately, unless you are familiar with the comic, far too many characters are introduced in this movie making the storyline, complex and confusing.

Most of the performances are not spectacular. Ekin Cheng shows the best range of acting ability as Whispering Wind. However, despite the incredible special effects he is not completely believable as a wuxia hero. Still he looks extremely good and his glinting eyes and flowing hair are perfect for Wind's formless character. At the loss of Charity, Ekin's spectacular ability to portray the anguish of loss makes the audience feel for him as he sheds that single tear at her death.

Aaron Kwok is spectacularly morose throughout the film, sporting a blue rinse and a passion for his Master's daughter. He is the most adept Martial artist and as such invariably works alone.

Kristy Yeung provides the beauty, rather than Shu Qi who is cast as the annoying herbalist, Muse, with a fixation for Cloud which is not reciprocated. Even though Charity is killed part way through the film, she never really leaves, being the subject of memories by all three of the principle actors.

The special effects are the crowning glory of this movie, from the sword fight among the bamboo to the fight with the fire beast in the cave of the Buddha. They give life to the pages of the comic book. The director and animators were obviously huge fans of the Manga.

The Movie is available on VCD and DVD. It has both a Cantonese and Mandarin soundtrack. Removeable Chinese and English subtitles are also available. A "Making Of " feature is also included on the DVD.