Saving General
Yang is a solid film, though it may lack the amount of originality that would
set it apart from dozens of other Chinese war epics to be released in the last
decade. As engaging as the storyline and action may be, there is trouble
relating to any one character or even to properly distinguish each of them from
each other. The story and action often take precedence, which lightens the
emotional impact of the final sequences.
The film takes
place in Northern China during the early
Northern Song dynasty, AD 986. The great General Yang Ye (Adam Cheng) long ago
killed the leader of a clan in battle, and the surviving son is determined to
enact revenge for his father. He kidnaps General Yang in order to carry out the
revenge, at the same time that an invading army of thousands approaches the
north. Led by his first son (Ekin Cheng), General Yang’s seven sons set out on
an impossible mission to bring their father home.
Between the invading army and the vengeful
wronged son, there are plenty of obstacles stopping the seven brothers from
bringing their father home. This amounts to a lot of action as well, though not
all of it is spectacular or particularly memorable. Director Ronny Yu certainly
knows how to make a film engaging, but little about the fight choreography
stood out amongst the sea of other martial art war epics.
The Blu-ray
release includes interviews with director Yu and his cast, as well as a trailer
for the film. The high definition presentation of the film is decent, though
there is little flashy in the cinematography to make use of the extra detail.
Entertainment Value:
7.5/10
Quality of
Filmmaking: 7/10
Historical
Significance: 5/10
Disc Features: 4/10
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