The General and the Tyrant

The ambitious prince regent of the Wu nation (Wong Chiu-fung) orders his general, Shi Ching-wan (Yam Kim-fai), to invade and conquer the Chen nation. A small nation that doesn’t excel in fighting, Chen falls without a fight. However, when Ching-wan falls in love with the peaceful nature of Chen, he goes against his ruler’s will and falls for the Chen’s beautiful princess (Law Yim-hing). For that, he is branded as a traitor by his countrymen. 

A fast-paced film without a dull moment, Fung Fung’s first film after joining Tao Yuen features thoughtful production design, props and camerawork. The overhead shots make good use of the set and actors, capturing a vast scene of warfare. The music and drumming carry the story and captivate audiences, while the film’s climax is simple, yet powerful. The ghostly apparition of the Wu ruler that appears in the end highlights Tao Yuen’s skills at handling visual effects in this type of films. Meanwhile, by showing every physical motion and tone of the veteran Cantonese opera artists in the musical scenes, the film shows their vocal talents expressed with every emotion. Yam Kim-fai plays the kind, loyal general Shi with benevolence; Leung Sing-por’s warrior character has a thunderous roar to back up his aura; and Wong Chiu-fung plays the tyrant with intimidating brutality. Every character is three-dimensional and clear, thanks to the excellent writing and directing. The film also has a clear theme that inherits Tao Yuen’s usual aim of advocating love and peace, as well as being anti-war and anti-aggression.

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