Reign Of Assassins 2010

[Linda]

Does anyone know of this movie? I've been hearing about it for a while but haven't heard of a release date. The plot sounds quite good. Its been a long time since we've had a female oriented wuxia film released.

Edit 15/08/10. All Info taken from IMDB. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1460743/

Since I seem to be the only person excited for this film....



Name: Reign Of assassins
Director: John Woo (Whom I adore), Chao-Bin Su
Writer: Chao-Bin Su
Release Date: September 28 (China), October 7 (Hong Kong), October 10 (Taiwan).

Actors/Actress:
Michelle Yeoh ... Zeng Jing
Woo-sung Jung ... Jiang A-sheng
Shawn Yue ... Lei Bin
Barbie Hsu ... Zhanqing
Kelly Lin
Xueqi Wang ... King of Dharma Wheel
Xiaodong Guo ... Zhang Renfeng
Yiyan Jiang ... Tian Qingtong

Plot:
Set in ancient China, Zeng Jing is a skilled assassin who finds herself in possession of a mystical Buddhist monk's remains. She begins a quest to return the remains to its rightful resting place, and thus places herself in mortal danger because a team of assassins is in a deadly pursuit to possess the remains which holds an ancient power-wielding secret. Written by rojak88

Trailer:
Trailer 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMT_bJ891wg

Trailer 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IczLF2rcs10

Trailer 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOcb_ilrKMI

[Linda]

And here is something about the characters:

Taken from http://www.wu-jing.org/happenings/ar...tic-World.html

The Swords Are Pouring All Over The Pugilistic World

-- Rain of Swords in the Pugilistic World --

《剑雨江湖》 Rain of Swords in the Pugilistic World (tentative), co-produced by Lion Rock, Beijing Galloping Horse, Media Asia Films, began production on Nov 3 on Songjiang Soundstage, Shanghai. Attending the lensing ceremony were the producers John Woo, Terence Chang, Peter Lam, Zhong Li Fang, the director Su Chao Bin, and the cast Michelle Yeoh, Jung Woo Sung, Big S Barbie Hsu, Paw Hee Ching, Wang Xue Qi, Shawn Yue.

Rain of Swords in the Pugilistic World, said to be fashioned after Gu Long, is a suspense wuxia film that combines physical and mental rivalry. It's a cross between China's Bian Lian and Hollywood's Mr and Mrs Smith.

John Woo says he has always been waiting for an opportunity to work with Michelle Yeoh, whom he admires greatly and that this is his favourite wuxia script in the recent years, "Su Chao Bin is not writing just wuxia, but also an exalted state of being, it has a very strong sense of personal characteristics."

This is Su Chao Bin's first wuxia film and he finds the action scenes much more difficult to handle than he had imagined. But he adds that they have a capable martial arts director Stephen Tung Wai, so he's not too worried.

Rain of Swords in the Pugilistic World traces the love story between a retiring assassin Michelle Yeoh and a messenger Jung Woo Sung, whose father was killed by her former organisation. Michelle Yeoh doesn't know that Jung Woo Sung is well versed in martial arts. As their relationship develops, their pasts come to light gradually...

Meanwhile, Wang Xue Qi discovers Michelle Yeoh's whereabouts and sends assassins Barbie Hsu, Shawn Yue, etc after her, to retrieve a certain artifact that holds the secrets to some peerless martial arts.

Michelle Yeoh says that she looks forward playing a swordswoman again after 10 years and has always wanted to collaborate with John Woo. "This is my first period wuxia film since Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, so I have a bit of pressure. But I look forward to the action scenes."

She is more cryptic on her role, "Very complex, hard to say. Is she good or bad? Watch the movie to find out."

Jung Woo Sung describes his character as lovable but a little foolish. He has been training under the wushu coaches and finds the action here to be different from Korean films.

Paw Hee Ching describes her character as an old lady who sells beancurd, "I have a very important mission here, to help bring Michelle Yeoh and Jung Woo Sung together."

Barbie Hsu introduces her character as the one of the two female assassins - the other being her senior Michelle Yeoh - under Wang Xue Qi, with whom she shares a fuzzy relation. She isn't all that mean, is someone who traverses between orthodox and unorthodox path. The only flaw she has is her weakness for men, "And as a result, my ending is very tragic. This is something I'd want to ask producer John Woo, why give me such a tragic character."

John Woo smiles, "When I was in Taiwan promoting Red Cliff, your sister 'Little S' gave me a very miserable time."

Barbie Hsu protests, "But producer, that has nothing to do with me, it wasn't my fault."

Wang Xue Qi plays a mysterious martial arts exponent who is Barbie Hsu's mentor and leader, "This character is very special. When he's in good mood, he'll play the good guy. When he's in foul mood, he'll do nasty things."

Shawn Yue is the main villain here as an assassin, and a master noodle chef, "During the daytime, he's a very nice person, and cooks very well. At night, he knows how to make money."

In addition, Kelly Lin, Chang Chen, Guo Xiao Dong, Pace Wu would also be joining this production.

Rain of Swords in the Pugilistic World would move location to Hengdian and Taiwan later, before wrapping up in February 2010. It is due for release in around summer 2010 or later.

Sina, New Express Daily

[Linda]

Posters has been released...for the 6 female characters..somehow I feel that only 3 of them will play a big role.

Michelle Yeoh...I've seen everything she's done...she plays an assassin that left her world behind to live a peaceful life and is on a quest to return something important back somewhere...also the recipient of a successful facial transplant.

'Pisces' Michelle Yeoh: The central character of Reign of Assassins, John Woo's ideal image of swordswoman. Most emotional, filled with most worries, lives in a world of her own deception, and puts love above everything, leads a life of conflicts. For the sake of love, lets go of killings, but subsequently, has to pick up her sword again because of love


Barbie Xu...currently watching her in Summer Desire...she seems to be everywhere nowdays. She supposedly plays a naive assassin who loves to kill...I don't know how 'naive' and 'assassin' can go together....

'Libra' Barbie Hsu: Naive, kind and affable, good affinity with many people, a powerful communicator. Highly gifted assassin. Covets everything, but ends up with nothing


'Aries' Pace Wu: Kongdong Sect's assassin, impulsive, adventurous, there is no escape from her lightning blade

[Linda]

Kelly Lin...plays Michelle's character former face, the film starts off with her and she gets a face transplant and because Michelle...obviously only a guest star...

'Capricorn' Kelly Lin: A serious and distant female assassin that seems unapproachable, yet undergoes the most dramatic changes


'Gemini' Paw Hee Ching: Loves changes, the most intelligent, inconsistent. Responsible for brining the male and female protagonists together.


I believe she maybe playing Shawn Yue's love interest.

'Taurus' Jiang Yi Yan: Seeks conservativeness, stability and eternity. Would rather weep at home than roaming the pugilistic world, the only female character that Michelle Yeoh is envious of


info and pictures taken from http://www.wu-jing.org/happenings/ar...d-Trailer.html

[Linda]

To continue this one person conversation...

Publicity launched for "Reign of Assassins"
Taken from: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english201...c_13454249.htm


Director John Woo, actors Wang Xueqi, Shawn Yue, Leon Dai, Guo Xiaodong and Li Zonghan attend the press conference in Beijing on August 19, 2010, promoting the latest film "Reign of Assassins." (Photo: CRIENGLISH.com)

BEIJING, Aug. 20 (Xinhuanet) -- John Woo's new multi-million dollar martial arts film "Reign of Assassins" set up its official website on Thursday, August 19, and released posters of the twelve leading roles.

Director John Woo, actors Wang Xueqi, Shawn Yue, Leon Dai, Guo Xiaodong and Li Zonghan attended the press conference in Beijing. At the conference, director Woo said he would like to be Jing Ke, a famous assassin during the Warring States period, if he could be a historical martial arts figure.

The upcoming film, budgeted at 14 million dollars, stars Michelle Yeoh, Jung Woo-Sung, Wang Xueqi, Barbie Hsu, Shawn Yue, Kelly Lin, Leon Dai, Paw Hee-Ching, Pace Wu, Guo Xiaodong, Li Zonghan and Jiang Yiyan. The all-star film has popularly been called the "film without a supporting role."

John Woo, praised for his ability to depict the friendship between men in his work, has decided to turn his attention on women. The director explained, "'Reign of Assassins' is not a film that simply focuses on kung-fu and hatred. In fact, it tells a romantic love story.''

However, all his actresses were absent from the conference. When the five main actors were asked about their collaboration with the actresses, , Dai summarized that Michelle Yeoh had strong and tender tempers in the same body, while Barbie Hsu was good at performing and very accurate.

In the posters, the twelve astrological horoscopes are used to describe each character. For instance, Michelle Yeoh, of course, is a Pisces girl, and actor Wang Xueqi belongs to Leo.

At the conference, the five actors were divided into two groups, a group of good guys and a group of bad guys, according to their characters in the film.

The three actors in the group of villains, Wang Xueqi, Leon Dai and Shawn Yue, described their combination as a cleaning company, which takes charge of killing aliens. They also showed off their own weapons, such as sword, double blades and a pair of long chopsticks.

The film will be released nationwide on September 28.

(Source: CRIENGLISH.com)

=====================================

an assassin with long chop sticks....I'm looking forward to this...

[Vic85]

wow. looks really cool. cant wait for it.

[namix]

oh man...this is gonna be dope!

[PJ]

Cool. I'll watch anything by John Woo, but this does look good.

[Linda]

Oh my...more people interested....

Here are the posters for the males...sadly I could not find the information for their characters like the females.

Taken from: http://www.beyondhollywood.com/a-doz...-of-assassins/

Woo-Sung Jung - male lead, Michelle's love interest.



Xueqi Wang - Leader of the assassins, Barbie's love interest. Obviously main antagonist. I must add I love this actor his a great actor I've seen quite of few of his works, even though I'm not really interested.



Xiaodong Guo - he looks maniac...very likely the assassin who just kills for the fun of it...a fixture in any assassin films.



Shawn Yue - Mister Chopsticks...is a skilled assassin and listed as the main assassin...I don't know what that means...he's also a noodle chef, hence the chopsticks for weapons.



Unknown- unknown...probably the first one to die. Michelle's character is either going to kill him first or he'll be the last one standing...very likely to play the sacrificial lamb to release our main hero from her destiny.



As oppose to my earlier belief that YiYang Jiang will play Shawn Yue's love interest, I now believe it'll be Pace Wu who plays his love interest while YiYang Jiang will either be a third party in the Malaysian-Korean union or some random innocent who lives a carefree life.

Release date is so far away....and even further for someone in Australia like me...

[Linda]

7 Scenes from Filming
Taken from: http://english.cri.cn/6666/2010/07/28/2483s585456.htm

7 drawings that depict scenes from the action-suspense movie "Reign of Assassins", which is directed by Chinese-American filmmaker John Woo. [Photo: Mtime]

Costing 14 millions dollars and directed by Chinese-American filmmaker John Woo, the action-suspense extravaganza "Reign of Assassins" is going to premiere globally at the Venice International Film Festival on September 3rd.

A series of drawings that depict scenes from the movie have been released by the producers. A number of crucial moments, as well as character residences, can be seen.















The drawings look great...but it looks like they are going to film it in that filming city in China...I wished people would build more sets...I'm so sick of reused scenes.

[Linda]

nooooo...my posters have disappeared...

the movie isn't' out yet. it will be...soon..in china and hong kong. I think it was released for the Venice Film crowd yesterday tough.

[Linda]

Since the movie premiered in Venice, here is a almost review...

VENICE: ‘Reign of Assassins,’ ‘Happy Few’
Posted by Guy Lodge · 6:34 pm · September 2nd, 2010

taken: http://incontention.com/?p=27944

“How many films did you see today?” It’s an innocent-sounding question that you nonetheless feel oddly cautious answering at a festival. Did I see too few? Do they think me a lightweight? Should I squeeze in a midnight screening of that Iranian peasant musical I really have no interest in seeing, just to beef up my score?

Okay, it’s not as petty and competitive as all that. (And it goes without saying that I’d be totally up for an Iranian peasant musical.) But whereas watching three films at home on a regular day feels like something of an indulgence, at a festival it seems positively neglectful, unappreciative of the spread that has been laid out for you.

“What am I missing?” you keep asking yourself (and others willing to listen). Then again, a friend of mine who sticks religiously to a six-film-a-day diet at every festival likely asks himself the same thing. It’s best to stop counting.

All of which is a long way of saying that, for the second day running, I caught only three films today – below my preferred batting average, but entirely okay when the upshot of that was a delightful beachside lunch with Anne Thompson, someone who long ago mastered the art of attending festivals like a human being rather than a film journo.

More good news is that today’s triple feature recovered from its dreary start with Julian Schnabel’s “Miral” (already reviewed here). Indeed, while a number of pejoratives could be applied to Su Chao-Pin and John Woo’s elaborate martial-arts fantasy “Reign of Assassins” (***) – silly, plasticky, just barely acquainted with notions of narrative coherence – “dreary” is not among them.

The film is having its world premiere on the Lido to coincide with the presentation of the director’s lifetime achievement award, but neither by name nor by nature is it formally a John Woo film; rather, he is credited as “co-director,” while it’s Chao-Pin who is given the possessive credit. The newer director’s hand is in evidence throughout: “Reign of Assassins” lacks the technical grace and advanced set-piece conception of, say, Woo’s “Red Cliff,” but it does boast a goofy sense of humor, as well as a certain elasticity of genre as endearing as it is initially bewildering: this is the rare fighting film that takes sideways strolls into supernatural video-game territory and meet-cute rom-com.

The story – convoluted guff set in ancient China, with Michelle Yeoh’s gifted assassin attempting to go straight, then falling for a mild-mannered laborer who turns out to be more connected to her previous life than she’d ever have guessed, her former colleagues battling her for the magical, fossilized remains of a Buddhist monk all the while – is little more than a clothesline on which to peg a lot of swordfights (not to mention some rather splendid clothes, courtesy of the great Emi Wada), shot in poppy, seemingly graphic novel-inspired style.

The stupid dial is turned way up – this is a film where actors deserve bouquets for belting out dialogue like “Let me reap the consequences of karma!” without corpsing – but so is the good humor, and that counts for everything in a bauble like this.

Rather fewer laughs were to be had in French writer-director Antony Cordier’s elegant if somewhat overextended relationship study “Happy Few” (***), in which two attractive young couples bring partner-swapping into the 21st century with astonishingly civilized results. It’s a film that poses that old chestnut about whether or not it’s possible to love two people at once, but its answers, such as they are, are rather more contemporary, admirably avoiding the judgmental as Cordier keeps shifting our sense of which of these pairings “belong.”

If anything, “Happy Few” is so adult about the quartet’s amassed indiscretions that the dramatic stakes are rendered rather low; even as the arrangement begins to sour, one rather wishes the film would lose control just once. Meanwhile, the inveigling of the couples’ children into the situation, and the limber sense of family that generates, is a fascinating story angle that too frequently slides out of view.

Still, the performances are smart (as you’d expect of an ensemble made up of Élodie Bouchez, Nicolas Duvauchelle, Roschdy Zem and Marina Foïs), the sex is hot (ditto) and even if the French can churn out these bourgeois, tastefully erotic domestic dramas in their sleep, that’s not to say that they shouldn’t.

Tomorrow: Up bright and early again for Sofia Coppola’s “Somewhere” – as usual, keep an eye on Twitter for a first reaction, with a full review landing later in the day.

[Photo: Labiennale.org]

========================================
doesn't sound like its a very good film...sigh...expectations slowly diminishing...

[Linda]

Another more positive review...

Reign of Assassins (劍雨)
By Derek Elley
Fri, 03 September 2010, 22:57 PM (HKT)

Taken: http://www.filmbiz.asia/reviews/reign-of-assassins


Michelle Yeoh and Barbie Xu in battle

A tip-top cast, well-crafted script and punchy action capture the classic essence of the swordplay genre. Some theatrical potential beyond Asia, plus strong ancillary.

<Plot removed. Continued with Review only, if you want to read the plot, go to the website.>

It's been a long time since a movie has captured the essence of the costume martial arts genre as well as Reign of Assassins (劍雨). Without heavy resort to visual effects, and without going too far down any one stylistic road, the film gives new life to a genre that's been pulled every which way in the past 20 years in search of new thrills. The biggest compliment that can be paid to the movie is that it's just like opening and reading a classic swordplay novel, but also seems absolutely of its era and with its own identity, with no sense of being a retro-flavoured tribute.

Taiwanese director Su Chao-pin (蘇照彬), who made the cheeky comedy Better Than Sex (愛情靈藥, 2002) before tripping up with scifi thriller Silk (詭絲, 2006), is at heart a scriptwriter (The Cabbie 運轉手之戀, Double Vision 雙瞳), and it's here that Reign of Assassins scores. Apart from obviously knowing and loving his swordplay novels, Su has invested his characters with a depth that recalls classic scripts like those of the late King Hu (胡金銓, especially Dragon Inn 龍門客棧 and A Touch of Zen 俠女), finding time for charming asides and small details; and the movie's Swiss Clock construction, as all the elements finally click into place, is dramatically satisfying rather than just grandstanding its cleverness. Aside from a generally dark, saturated look to the colours, and a habit of shooting the action in medium close-up, Su shows no notable directing quirks: everything is at the service of the characters, actors and script, with the editing by Hong Kong's Cheung Ka-fai (張嘉輝) making sure the viewer knows exactly where everyone is whenever the cork pops off the bottle.

With such a well-chosen cast, the movie gradually starts to bloom once the basic set-up - female assassin seeks a new life by surgically changing her face - is dealt with in the opening 20 minutes. Su's script spends a relatively long time detailing the slow-burning romance between Michelle Yeoh's (楊紫瓊) swordswoman and Jeong Woo-seong's (정우성) professional messenger but in dramatic terms this pays off later, as their seemingly simple domesticity is interrupted by assassins from her past. With such a rich gallery of characters - from Mainland veteran Wang Xueqi's (王學圻) gaspy-voiced super-villain to Taiwanese actress Barbie Hsu's (徐熙媛) trashy psychopath - the movie works first and foremost as a drama, with the martial arts adding extra value rather than substituting for thin characterisation. Though she's only on screen for the first 15 minutes, Taiwan's Kelly Lin (林熙蕾) - apart from making a perfect facial precursor for Yeoh - makes one regret more directors haven't cast her in martial arts movies; she's one of the most believably ruthless swordswomen since Helen Ma (馬海倫).

Su makes good use of Yeoh's cool elegance in a part that's tailor-made for the Malaysian-Chinese star, and the obvious 10-year age difference between her and younger South Korean co-star Jeong (A Good Rain Knows 호우시절, The Good The Bad The Weird 좋은 놈, 나쁜 놈, 이상한 놈) actually works as a distraction from one of the twists. It's one of several cheeky touches throughout the movie, which has fun not only with Hsu's wonderfully ****ty swordswoman and Leon Dai's (戴立忍) magician-assassin but also completely pulls the carpet from under the audience when the real motivation for Wang's super-villain is revealed. Though some of this may seem over-the-top to western audiences, it's all thoroughly in tune with the fantastical element of classic swordplay literature.

Production design (and costumes by Emi Wada 和田惠美) find a middle path between the current trend of grungy realism and the more laundered look of classic movies from the '60s and '70s, with the balance tipping slightly towards the latter. Action by Hong Kong's Stephen Tung (董瑋) makes heavy use of just-okay wire work and slow motion in long shots, and packs more punch in the close-up sparring and weapon work. Peter Kam's (金培達) symphonic score is well above his norm here, partnering Su's direction and Cheung's cutting at all times, from rainy romance to nocturnal shenanigans. (Reflecting its Chinese title, Swords and Rain, the film makes frequent use of both.)

Producer John Woo was reportedly on set the whole time, offering advice to Su, though there's no real trace of a Woo "signature" in the film. The Chinese end credits read "A film by John Woo (吳宇森製作). Directed and written by Su Chao-pin". The official English credits read "Directed by Su Chao-pin. Co-directed by John Woo".

=================================================
expectations +1

I will expect to be bored with the first 20mins and get annoyed with ****ty Barbie Xu and be shocked by the ending...or majorly pissed off.

[babygil]

Thank you Linda for the updates and trailers on this film I miss Michelle so much!! From the pics posted above the movie looks fantastic. I truly hope it doesn't disappoint because I'm anxiously looking forward to seeing it.

I was thinking the other day that the good female action stars just disappeared and the new action stars barely get any press. Things just aren't what they use to be during the 90s and now I see Michelle doing some action again. I know she's much older now but if she can make at least 2 more movie like this then I'll be happy.

[xiaolong]

I just watched this. It's an amazing wuxia movie with the right cast! I went to see this with some trepidation as I always thought John Woo's casting was kinda off for Red Cliff - Takeshi Kaneshiro did not have the status that Zhuge Liang should have, Lin Chi Ling sorely lacked the beauty and acting skills to be Xiao Qiao, Vicki Zhao just looks and acts annoying. But I must say Michelle Yeoh kicked serious *** in here!! And Barbie Hsu...OHHH! She was sizzling hot as a sexed up female psycho chick assassin! I must say I did think with Michelle Yeoh pushing 50, she's looking kinda weather-beaten, but on second thought, that kind of look is suited for the role here.

I'm convinced that Barbie Hsu is definitely the most beautiful Chinese actress around. None of the new generation is on par beauty-wise, not even LYF.

 click to show spoilers

It has a great ending, compared to other wuxia flicks.

[xiaolong]

From http://www.china.org.cn/arts/2010-09...t_20943453.htm



Director John Woo's new swordsman film, "Reign of Assassins," billed as a "five-star commercial swordsmen film," premiered and held a press conference in Hangzhou on Tuesday, September 14, m1905.com reports.

Woo, lead actor Wang Xueqi, Barbie Hsu, Li Zonghan and Woo's daughter Angeles, who is also in the film, attended.

Wang Xueqi gave a surprising performance as the bad guy in this film, a rare appearance among his previous films. His fight scenes are also surprisingly good and won high praise from audiences.

"We saw a different Wang in this film. I admire his spirit of self-challenge," said a viewer.

Another of Wang's highlights in the film is his relationship with Barbie Hsu's character. Moviegoers said they were taken aback at the age difference - Wong is 64 and Hsu is 34 - but the previews prove the love story is well done.

Viewers said although "Reign of Assassins" is a swordsman film, it gets off the beaten track of bloody fighting, showing the natural and genuine sides of the swordsmen.

Wang Xueqi has been well-known to Chinese audiences for his role as a hero in military films and TV dramas. He won the best actor award at the Asian Film Awards this year for "Bodyguards and Assassins" (2009).

"Reign of Assassins" will hit Chinese cinemas on Sept. 28, 2010.

[Cesare]

Loved it. It's a cool wuxia story with some charming old-school vibes to it. Well cast, well paced, well choreographed, well shot.
Good stuff.

[xiaolong]

Reign of Assassins theme song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsdPeocymrQ

Very beautiful and haunting music.

I actually love this movie more than Crouching Tiger. Barbie Hsu is much more beautiful than Zhang Ziyi anytime. Michelle Yeoh stunts were breathtaking!

[LuNaR]

just saw this, great film but it lacks a signature fight scene. i find the fight scenes to be too fast and too simple (im not asking for digital graphic fights, what i mean by simple is most of the fighting techniques looks the same).

also (this will spoil the movie, so read at caution)

 click to show spoilers

why would the leader of the dark hand, Cao Feng , be a tiny eunuch in the palace, it just doesnt make too much sense there. and where did he learn all his martial arts? also where did Jiang A-sheng learn his martial arts? if he was that good before, how did he lose so easily? how is he stronger than Lei Bin + Ye Zhanqing + a handful of assassin mobs? and who rescued Jiang A-sheng? if it was a random person, how did he know to bring it to the best doctor?

still it is definitely a refreshing movie and i definitely enjoyed it.

i'll give it a 8/10 for decent plot and really refreshing movie. plus it was just entertaining with alot of surprises

[Surferket]

I thought it pretentious and very much following in the shadows of Crouching Tiger. In other words, it's a clone. Detective Dee is better and original.