Set during the fall of the Qin Dynasty, White Vengeance follows the rivalry between two sworn brothers, Liu Bang (Leon Lai) and Xiang Yu (Feng Shaofeng) who vie for the soon-to-be-vacant throne. Their endeavours are aided by their respective military advisers, Zhang Liang (Zhang Hanyu) and Fan Zeng (Antony Wong), who engage in plots and machinations beyond their masters` understanding.
The fight scenes are energetically choreographed, and while the movie sags around the middle from the weight of its numerous subplots and some overwrought sentimentality, stellar acting by the cast saves the emotional integrity of the movie. Of particular note is the chemistry between Zhang Hanyu and Antony Wong, who play their roles of rival strategists in a gaudy yet highly believable fashion. However, the lack of character development in either of the main leads, coupled with the inevitability of their downfall, prevents any strong sense of catharsis at the conclusion of the movie, due to the audience’s inability to relate with either the ambitious Xiang Yu or the subtle Liu Bang.
Despite the metaphor of wei qi that underlies the various plot twists of the movie, White Vengeance is more akin to the frenetic simplicity of checkers than the subtle nuances of chess. That’s not to say that it’s a bad movie, though. On the contrary, White Vengeance is a satisfyingly narrated war epic that manages to link action with romance, while still underscoring its theme of the isolating effects of power.
SUMMARY: Almost scores a checkmate.
RATING: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Raphael Lim