“Legends of the Condor Heroes: The Gallants” Theatrical Poster
Director: Tsui Hark
Cast: Xiao Zhan, Zhuang Dafei, Tony Leung Ka Fai, Sabina Zhuang, Bayaertu, Alan Aruna, Ada Choi, Wu Hsing-kuo, Hu Jun, Zhang Wenxin, Zhao Shuai
Running Time: 146 min.
By Paul Bramhall
Novelist Jin Yong’s Legend of the Condor Heroes has been adapted countless times for both the big and small screens since it was first serialised from 1957 – 1959, with each one having to grapple with how to best portray such a sprawling tale on film. Chang Cheh attempted to cram it across 4 movies with The Brave Archer series, while TVB’s classic adaptation in 1983 was spread across 59 episodes. Others chose to adapt parts of the tale, like Wong Kar-Wai’s 1994 wuxia deconstruction Ashes of Time, or take inspiration from it like Wong Jing did in 1993’s The Kung Fu Cult Master. In 2025 auteur Tsui Hark has opted to go for the same approach as Wong Kar-Wai with Legends of the Condor Heroes: The Gallants, taking the rarely adapted latter part of the story where battlefield warfare breaks out between the Mongols, the villainous Jin, and the Song Empire.
It’s a bold move, considering most adaptations tend to focus on the martial arts mastery that the main characters seek, so by largely eschewing this onscreen staple Hark risks alienating those who come to an adaptation of Legend of the Condor Heroes with certain expectations. However it also shouldn’t be a surprise from a director like Tsui Hark, a filmmaker who’s Continue reading →
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