Director Xu Haofeng seems to love martial arts. His debut film, The Sword Identity, was a solid piece the helped break him out into the world of film and it looks like his follow up feature, Judge Archer, is to be just as strong and grounded as his first feature. The film will be premiering at the Rome International Film Festival and, upon that announcement, the first trailer for the film has been released.
Xu is a student of martial arts and while you can clearly see his dedication to realism and the philosophy behind the arts in this trailer, you’ll also be able to note his appreciation for drama and the importance of characters and staying honest with the times. Rather than make a flash picture, this is a basic piece of cinema that will be driven by simple action and hopefully solid drama.
And just an FYI, Xu Haofeng will likely blow up come the end of this year as he scripted Wong Kar Wai’s The Grandmasters, a film that’s finally emerging from development hell.
Judge Archer resolves disputes between the various martial arts schools, but cannot settle his own family issues and romantic affairs. When he is entrapped in a failed assassination plot, his ethics are put to the test.
This is a martial arts film set in the early days of the Republic of China. It explores the traditions and customs of various martial arts schools and the philosophy behind the art of archery. It is a story about “telling right from wrong”. The protagonist acts as an arbitrator amongst the rival martial arts schools. Every day, he judges who is right and who is wrong; however, he himself is confronted with the most crucial question – should he himself be subjected to social conventions? This is a story that praises personal integrity.
Judge Archer is the latest film by Xu Haofeng, one of the most promising young directors in China. As in his debut film, The Sword Identity, Xu takes a realist approach to the martial arts genre. Xu himself has practiced martial arts for years and clearly understands the difference between real fighting techniques and the artistic choreography presented on the screen. As a result, he does not indulge his audiences with fast pace and physical sensation. Instead, Xu shows the viewers the true nature of each fighting style. The moves demonstrated in the film are realistic yet original and incredibly powerful.
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