ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA

ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA is the ultimate kung fu movie more than two hours of dazzling and inventive choreography that revitalizes the martial arts genre. Shot in cinemascope, it offers a torrent of breathtaking images, an element for which director Tsui Hark (“Peking Opera Blues,” 12th CUT, 1988) has become renowned. It's loosely based on the life of Wone, Felhung, a legendary Cantonese hero who,in this telling, fights the westernization movement sweeping China at the turn of the century. It's a highly political and satirical film about East-West relations and China's need to modernize. But above all, it's fun, with pole fighting, an amazing sword vs. umbrella fight, and other action scenes that will leave you breathless. -London International Film Festival.