‘Bastard Swordsman’ or — Legitimately Awesome?
Don’t be put off by the somewhat uncouth title because The Shaw Brothers’ ‘Bastard Swordsman’ (1983) is a slicker, and more sophisticated, slice of nonsense than might initially appear. Although I must stress this is still a slice of nonsense, albeit a ridiculously entertaining one.
Poor Yun is an orphan working as the janitor at the Wu Tang martial art school where the students mercilessly mock and taunt him and call him a “bastard”. Not only that but the school’s Chief must take part in a duel every decade with the Chief of the rival Wu Di Invincible Clan school to determine who is the best fighter and Yun’s Chief has lost every time they’ve fought. Yun’s Chief also knows his skills are no match for his rival, especially as the Invincible Clan Chief has now mastered the Lethal Skill to level eight!
Things become complicated when a mysterious swordsman intervenes and begins to ingratiate himself into the Wu Tang school and is soon climbing the ladder. It seems as though there are other rivalries at play besides the one between the two schools and it could have something to do with the legendary Silkworm Skill, the only skill Wu Tang’s master knows that can defeat the Invincible Clan.
Meanwhile Yun might not be as lonely and neglected as he seems as a black-clad figure is secretly teaching Yun the ways of Wu Tang’s kung fu at night but when the Wu Tang clan is violently attacked it becomes obvious that not only are there other rivalries at play but that there are other secrets too, secrets that mean the two clans might not be as separate as they might appear and might help Yun master the legendary Silkworm Skill.
‘Bastard Swordsman’s story is suitably baffling but never confusing and is, essentially, simply there to hang a whole load of fights off and boy, does ‘Bastard Swordsman’ have some excellent fights. This is Wuxia with an emphasis on the fantastical so the action is a glorious combination of physical martial arts, wire-work, inventive editing, special effects, highly choreographed swordplay, gymnastics, explosions, lasers (yes, lasers) and pretty much everything else that can be tossed in. It’s not about realism in anyway but impossible people doing impossible things and showing off the extent of their powers. This film is imaginative and energetic as hell.
A fantastic example is when a bamboo pole is put under incredible pressure by two opposing fighters, so much so that steam starts shooting out from it. It’s a simple, practical effect but it’s visually arresting and makes total contextual sense to the action. And ‘Bastard Swordsman’ is overflowing with moments like this.
All the action is pushed to the limit both physically and imaginatively such as the scene when Wu Tang’s Chief manipulates the pages of a book with his sword in mid-air or the stunning battle between two Invincible Clan fighters and the Wu Tang guards where there’s never the sense of anyone hanging back from the action but always the sensation of “how do you get out of a situation when EVERYONE is attacking you?” It’s utterly exhilarating and breathlessly exciting.
Although nothing will prepare you for the climax of ‘Bastard Swordsman’ which I won’t spoil (basically because I wouldn’t even know where to begin) but let’s just say it’s easily one of the craziest fights scenes I’ve ever seen as the insanity levels rocket way past level eight.
‘Bastard Swordsman’ might not have the polish or scale of, say, King He’s work, and the production is a little rough around the edges, but that only adds to the sense of energy and the sheer amount invention bursting off the scene here is intoxicating and thrilling. It’s also only 95 minutes long meaning it absolutely blasts along at a furious rate, relentlessly throwing one idea at you after another leaving you gasping.
This is an excellent film and any martial art or Wuxia fan should get onto this ASAP.
