International Festival Premiere | In Competition | Closing Film
Hong Kong, China, 2026, 126’, Mandarin
Directed by: Yuen Woo-ping
Screenplay: Yu Baimei, Su Chao-bin, Chan Tai-li, Larry Yang
Cinematography (color): Cheung Tung-leung
Editing: Cheung Ka-fai, Super Zhang
Production Design: Lin Mu
Music: William Wu
Producers: Wu Jing, Yu Baimei
Cast: Wu Jing (Dao Ma), Nicholas Tse (Diting), Yosh Yu (Shu), Chen Lijun (Ayuya), Sean Sun (Zhishilang), Ju Qianlang (Xiao Qi), Ci Sha (He Yixuan), Tong Leung Ka-fai (Lao Mo), Liang Biying (Wei Zhi), Zhang Yi (Pei Shiju), Kara Wai (Madam Yuchi), Max Zhang (Two-headed Snake), Jet Li (Governor Chang)
Date of First Release in Territory: February 17th, 2026
Although Blades of the Guardians director Yuen Woo-ping appears in a post-credit cameo talking about passing the torch to the young, the 80-year-old action choreographer and director – who famously took Hong Kong-style action choreography to Hollywood on The Matrix and Kill Bill – proves with his 30th feature directorial effort that, like fellow cinematic elder statesmen George Miller and Clint Eastwood, he can still fire on all cylinders behind the camera.
Instead of drawing from martial arts folklore, Yuen’s latest is based on award-winning Chinese comic book series Biao Ren [a.k.a. Blades of the Guardians], about a mercenary warrior who must navigate dangers of the desert and political turmoil of the late Sui Dynasty. Blending western genre staples like vast landscapes and the mysterious vagabond hero with traditional Chinese martial arts and ancient history, the comic book and its subsequent animated adaptation were praised by fans for stunning imagery, thrilling action and complex political dynamics.
The film adaptation, written by Yu Baimei, Su Chao-bin (Reign of Assassins), Chan Tai-li and Larry Yang (The Shadow’s Edge), trades most of the original’s political intrigue for economical storytelling (though it is hinted in the end that politics will play a bigger part in the inevitable sequel). Instead, it focuses on Dao Ma (Wu Jing), a bounty hunter who wanders the land with a young boy in tow. After escaping a confrontation involving a corrupt governor and a swordsman in hiding, Dao Ma returns to Mojia Village, where he takes refuge under the protection of Lao Mo (Tony Leung Ka-fai), the village’s chieftain.
Almost immediately, Lao Mo asks Dao Ma to escort revolutionary figure Zhishilang (Sean Sun), the most wanted fugitive of the land, across the dangerous desert to the city of Chang’an. But Dao Ma doesn’t just have to survive the ruthless desert: his caravan must also get past pursuing soldiers, rival bounty hunters, hostile desert clans and Diting (Nicholas Tse), an old friend of Dao Ma who has a score to settle.
Those questioning whether Yuen’s old-school action sensibilities would make a good match with the comic book material should breathe a sigh of relief, as Blades of the Guardians is a rollicking good time for martial arts aficionados looking to see the legend back in action (a Mad Max-inspired sandstorm chase in act two was met with applause at my screening). Anyone who has seen Drunken Master (1978), the breakdance-infused Mismatched Couples (1985), the underrated Wing Chun (1994) or even his surprisingly tender short in Septet: The Story of Hong Kong (2020) would know that Yuen is no stranger to balancing humour with action. In the case of Blades, Zhishilang, who actually is far more cowardly than his reputation suggests, and a few of the supporting characters provide much-needed levity before the story gets too serious.
As charismatic and physically agile as ever, Wu Jing is pitch-perfect as the ronin-esque hero, while Chen Lijun, who joined the film for reshoots after controversy surrounding the original actress, steals the spotlight as Ayuya, Lao Mo’s rebellious daughter. However, if you are watching Blades to see Jet Li in a reunion with his Tai Chi Master director, be forewarned that the action star’s role is merely an extended cameo in the first third. Nevertheless, Li’s fight against Wu – which also includes Master Z star Max Zhang in the mix as the aforementioned hiding swordsman – features Yuen’s signature mix of graceful movements and propulsive pacing, and it is as brilliant as anything Yuen has done. Eight years has been a long wait for a new Yuen Woo-ping film, but Blades of the Guardians is well worth it.
Yuen Woo-ping
Insieme ai suoi nove fratelli, Yuen Woo-ping (n. 1945) si formò nelle arti marziali sotto la guida del padre, Yuen Siu-tien, noto attore e coreografo d’azione del cinema hongkonghese. Nel 1971 intraprese egli stesso la carriera di coreografo delle arti marziali con The Mad Killer, dando inizio a un percorso illustre che gli è valso sei Hong Kong Film Award per la miglior coreografia d’azione. In qualità di regista ha firmato successi come Drunken Master (1978), Iron Monkey (1993) e True Legend (2010). Ha inoltre portato l’azione di Hong Kong sulla scena globale lavorando a blockbuster hollywoodiani come Matrix e Kill Bill (2003) di Quentin Tarantino.
SELECTED FILMOGRAPHY
1978 – Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow
1978 – Drunken Master
1982 – The Miracle Fighters
1993 – Iron Monkey
1993 – Tai Chi Master
1994 – Wing Chun
2010 – True Legend
2018 – Master Z: Ip Man Legacy
2026 – Blades of the Guardians: Wind Rises in the Desert