The English title is in many respects, unfortunate, as this is really a morality play dressed as a martial arts film with horror elements. The film begins by introducing us to "Master Tan" and "Master Lung," two wealthy, but otherwise uncharacterized, rivals. Master Tan displays a lantern that he had made for the lunar festival, with Master Lung responding that it is an object unworthy of esteem. Lung then decides that he should hire his former rival, Chao Fang (played by Lieh Lo of "Five Fingers of Death" fame) to craft an even better lantern. Fang agrees, but only on condition that Lung never return to his lair-like shop. Of importance to the story-line is the fact that Lung had, in the past, fought Fang, and scarred the latter's face. Lung, we are to note, is a man who believes his money can right all past wrongs.
From this "bargain" involving three men and their fragile "honor" come the horrors; for what this story is really about is Fang and his own place in the social order. The bargain gives him his own chance to avenge perceived wrongs, even as he crafts the handiwork that will allow Lung to one-up his competitor. From (relatively) small slights come disaster.
Of the story, I will say little else, as this is a movie that runs less on plot development than allowing a dynamic that has been set in motion early-on play itself out through a set of highly choreographed martial-arts routines. I will, however, comment on a few technical aspects that impressed me:
First, with the exception of a few sequences shot outdoors (one quite memorable, shot in a grove of tall trees), this is a studio-set movie that takes place in just a handful of locations. The sets are simply arresting and, in some cases, quite beautiful. The costumes, set design and lighting (and, yes, comparisons to Bava are warranted) are all very-well thought out and executed. None are meant to represent an "actual" places, but rather allegorical places: the peaceful, noble abodes of Tan and Lung; the boisterous market-place; the hellishly menacing, creepy shop of Fang--each is set in opposition to its counter-parts. (As with much of the Wuxia genre, the historical setting is not terribly important for the story-line. What matters are the character-types. That said, the Hanfu styles of dress indicate one possible time-period, but the appearance of the tiger hooks (used by the assassin character) bring us much closer to the present.)
Second, the lighting, camera work and editing are impressive. For example, the first time we meet the monkey-ghost character, the lighting frames the face in a way that was quite memorable for this viewer. Director Sun Chung also uses slow-motion and fast-motion techniques, particularly in the acrobatic martial-arts segments. But he also dabbles with soft focus shorts at times (mostly for the abodes of the two principal characters). There are many, many places where this is a sumptuous, beautiful film.
If I have a quibble, it is that the end of the film does not do justice to the careful pacing and style of what preceded it. There are quite a few veteran actors at work here (though it is Lo who steals every scene in which he is a part); I just wish the ending could have been written better. That said, a surprisingly good movie. I was not expecting it, quite honestly.
