The Flying Swords of Dragon Gate

Cast members:

Jet Li

Zhou Xun

Chen Kun

Li Yuchun

Kwai Lun-mei

Louis Fan

Mavis Fan

Plot:

This film is released in 2011 and is based on the story of the 1992 film "New Dragon Gate Inn". It is not a remake of the old classic, but rather a re-imagining of the tale, seeking to maintain the originality of the story.

In the late Ming Dynasty, the eunuch Wei Zhongxian is in power in the court, and a number of loyal officials are slaughtered at random. Righteous figures in the court form an alliance to fight against him, but are all slain by Wei Zhongxian. Common people also have a hard time under the reign of the vicious eunuch.

A swordsman Zhao Huai'an kills a vicious eunuch leader Wan Yulou, and causes trouble for himself. Wan's ally, another powerful eunuch leader Yu Huatian then issues an order around the whole country to arrest Zhao Huai'an and his conspirators.

Zhao Huai'an’s group flees to a place Dragon Gate, and is rescued by an amorous woman Jin Xiangyu, who is the landlady of the Dragon Gate Inn. Coincidentally, Zhao meets his childhood sweetheart Qiu Moyan and a group of people who are willing to work together to kill Wei Zhongxian, and root out vicious eunuchs in the court.

Zhou fights against Wei's group together with Qiu, and also writes a secret cooperative agreement with an official Zhu You. They want to find a good chance to kill Wei Zhongxian together.

The cunning Wei, however, already gets the news of Zhu You's rebellion, and then Zhu You has to leave the imperial palace. Zhu You meets Zhou Huai'an, Qiu, and the others at the Dragon Gate Inn, and they plot other ways to kill Wei.

Jin Xiangyu has affection for Zhou Huai'an, but Zhou still loves his childhood friend Qiu, forming a love triangle. Moreover, Zhu You falls in love with Qiu, and their another ally Chang adores Jin Xiangyu.

These people who are tough in battles, are now twisted around in love affairs. Meanwhile, they are also making other plans to overthrow Wei's power.

Comments:

Shots in the film are wonderful, and its attempt to be innovative is worthy of praise. However, some say that the fight scenes in the film are not satisfactory, and the plot of the story is average.