Once Upon a Time in China V

As the Once Upon a Time in China series' popularity declined following the decline of the martial arts genre, you might expect the quality of the movies to do the same. However, rest assured that Once Upon a Time in China V is not only one of the best in the series, but it is also one of the best in the genre. It is a well-crafted cinematic piece that will more than satisfy true fans of the genre.

Having watched all 6 installments to the Once Upon a Time in China series, I feel confident about it being one of the greatest movie series ever and certainly my personal favourite. This part, specifically, ranks as my second favourite out of the six. As underrated as it is, there is currently no decent print of this film in the market. You have a choice between the Tai Seng VHS and the Universe DVD, which I think is even worse than the VHS. Either way, they are of terrible quality.

The movie is truly well-crafted. Although Zhao Wen Zhou's ability as a martial artist is not as strong as Jet Li's, he still looks quite good in the fight scenes. There are several outstanding scenes, and you will be on the edge of your seat. Also, this has the most humour out of all six episodes. Part 2 attempted to bring out some funny stuff, but it just didn't work. Zhao Wen Zhou, a bit slow himself, is a better comedian than most people would expect, and even better than Jet Li on most occasions. You will have plenty of good laughs. At the same time, you get some serious drama too, so this is a very well-mixed movie.

A note on the cinematography and setting. The movie actually looks older than its predecessors. It looks to have been made in the 80s, with all the Western movie elements. It's just a different experience when watching parts 1-4. The cinematographer of the film is Peter Pau, who is one of the greatest in his field of expertise. Some of his other cinematographed works include "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", "Bride With White Hair", "Saviour of the Soul" and "God of Gamblers." I guess Peter likes to experiment, thus the eccentric cinematography here. The production value is quite good though, and you will eventually adjust.

I can't say enough good things about this new wave gem. One can only hope for a remastered print.