This movie is sooo freakin' beautiful and well made, it hurts to know that another movie of this caliber will not hit screens for quite some time. You only get a film this good every year or so (Johnnie To does work fast).

The whole style over substance argument seems silly here. Yes, it is all style, but there is plenty of substance here. You don't need a long backstory to explain the characters, there is no important theme or lesson to be taught, it doesn't matter what happens and why. This is an enertaining movie with all but the minimum needed to tell a story. No more, no less.

Same thing with "Exiled", another movie with style over substance. I don't know what people wanted. It's the same story. You get wonderfully different characters, unique locations and views of Hong Kong, interaction from everyone, and fresh ideas of how to handle mundane film genres.

Whatever the case may be, this is an absolutely brilliant film that looks good, plays good, has good acting, and a story that makes sense (at least in terms of movie logic). If you want a deeper experience, watch "There Will Be Blood" or "Election" 1 and 2 (all great movies as well). But here you get something that is so unique and different that it is a masterpiece.

Andy Lau feels out of place which sucks because he was so natural in A Battle of Wits.

As for the movie itself, it is typical semi-period (there are guns, so not too far back in history). Action is pretty good, story flows well, actors are all well portrayed, and the set pieces are all very well made.

But be honest, it's about Jet Li. That's why you should see the movie. He's awesome and he's not just kicking everyone's ass.

If you even somewhat understand how Hollywood works, this movie is a mockery of the entire system, with good cause. It makes fun of every little thing that happens in movie making, the stuff that goes on behind the scenes normal folks wouldn't believe. Add to the fact that you're looking to replace Bruce Lee at the peak of his career and everyone wants to make a quick buck, and you've got certified gold on your hands. Think about how many movies came out about Lee or claiming to have Lee in them after he died, watch this and you'll understand why.

If you're a fan of Justin Lin ("Better Luck Tomorrow", "The Fast And The Furious: Tokyo Drift"), you'll already love this film. If you've never seen his previous works, it's time to hop on and learn to love him. It's great to see the same cast from previous films return in new roles with some great new additions.

It is really cool to see him spar with a pole wrapped in blankets as a makeshift punching bag. And the fight scenes are OK. I'm sure Dragon Dynasty will release a really good edition with great info and commentary.

Worth seeing at least, just nothing you're gonna remember or think about later on.

As a cool side note, Coolie from Kung Fu Hustle is featured during a fight and has a decent scene.

With such a great actor as Louis Koo being in this movie, his performance was severely lacking. After seeing him in Election 2, this is a huge drawback. I was excited to see him paired with Donnie Yen, but he gets no room to act and generally falls very flat.

So, how about the action? Meh. Yeah, that kind of subdued reaction is what one gets out of this movie. Does Coolie from Kung Fu Hustle finally get to show off some awesome moves? No. Are there long shots of uninterrupted action showcasing great martial arts abilities? No. Well, is there a final action scene that blows everyone away a la SPL? Not really.

The last fight scene seems to drag on a little too long with repetitious blows being dealt back and forth. Not too mention how horrendous some of the gunfighting was at the end. You'll know what I mean if you see it. Yet, Donnie Yen pulls out a few awesome tricks, but it feels too much like a copy of SPL with the MMA and grappling stuff. It was okay when it was fresh then, but I'm over it now.

Really, I was expecting the re-teaming of Wilson Yip and Donnie Yen paired with a great actor in Louis Koo to really produce something amazing with over the top action to rival SPL, but it turns out to be a watered down copy without anything innovative or mind blowing (except for the punch in the face which can be seen in the trailer). But what's really sad here is that it's still the best thing out there right now from Hong Kong. So it's worth seeing, but not worth owning.

And the cool neat-o box that comes with the limited edition is complete garbage. Now it doesn't fit with the rest of my movies and it looks bad and it opens retardedly and just ugghhh. . . Just get the regular edition, save your money and enjoy ease of use.

Bordering on the look of a student film, it is obvious this is no Hollywood production. Yet, if you take the whole thing with a grain of salt and just really watch the movie, it is enjoyable.

Most of the time, the jokes are funny, while a few times you think to yourself, "Should have left that out." Same goes for the action. Most of it is really really good, and a few times not so hot. But for this level of film making, no one has been able to make something this good so far. It's leaps and bounds above normal indie stuff, especially the choreography.

This is a GREAT starting point as this crew can only get better with a real budget and some professional help. The potential is there, it just needs a little work. Overall, definitely a must see and a group to look out for in the future.