"Wu Xia" Chinese DVD Cover
Here at Cityonfire.com, we universally love Peter Chan’s 2011 film Wu Xia. Guest reviewer DiP gave it a 10/10; Mighty Peking Man said that if it was the kind of martial arts film Bruce Lee would make if he were still alive; while HKFanatic called it Donnie Yen’s best role since 2008’s Ip Man.
In the film, Donnie Yen plays a family man with a dark past. When two criminals wander into his town, he’s forced to raise arms once again in order to protect his family. Forensic detective Takeshi Kaneshiro is called on the scene to investigate and each clue leads him closer to uncovering Donnie’s past – but that’s the last of their worries with an army of assassins waiting in the wings.
The Weinstein Company bought the rights to Wu Xia but have yet to distribute it in the West. Over at trusted retailer DDDHouse, you can import the film on Region A Blu-ray for $23.72 or Region 3 DVD for $15.38.
Part of the reason I mention this is that over at Twitch, James Marsh has received word from Peter Chan that the Weinsteins will be releasing Wu Xia in North American theaters, most likely in May. The Weinsteins are giving the film the more generic title Dragon and, not surprisingly given their history, have cut the film to be “leaner, pacier.” Plenty of viewers have enjoyed Wu Xia just the way it is, even if the movie is not as action-packed as some of Donnie’s other work like Killzone or Flash Point. Wu Xia is a one of a kind of film; an intense character drama that combines elements of high-flying martial arts with CSI-like forensic work. Our recommendation is to see it the way Peter Chan intended it.
