"It’s probably best if we ignore the drama surrounding
Cecilia Cheung off screen and focus on her return to movie making instead. This
really shouldn’t take long. Sounding promising enough on paper; Legendary
Amazons is a costume war epic produced by all round megastar Jackie Chan.
Cheung plays the part of a famed (and older) female general called Mu Guiying,
opposite Taiwan actor/singer Richie Jen, who takes on the role of Yang Zongbao.
Action veteran Cheng Pei Pei, Kathy Chow, Jin Qiaoqiao, Yu Na and Wu Ma are
advised to run for cover next time Frankie Chan has an offer they can’t refuse.
The 12 grieving widows of the Yang clan - led by Mu Guiying
(Cecilia Cheung), Princess Chai (Liu Xiaoqing) and She Taijun (Cheng Pei Pei) –
take up arms in Frankie Chan’s ill-advised return to filmmaking. Loosely based
on Shaw Brothers favourite ‘The 14 Amazons’, Cecilia Cheung plays a 40-year-old
warrior (she’s eight years younger in real life) in a badly rendered green
screen spectacular. The CGI is cringeworthy, the fight sequences are
unrealistic (not to mention sped up at every turn), the action choreography is
poor and the characters are frustratingly one-dimensional. There’s very little
depth, excitement or spectacle to be found, while Cheung’s return to acting
suggests she’s better suited to other forms of camera work.
Not even the sight of female warriors going to war on pogo
sticks (I kid you not) is enough to raise a smile; Legendary Amazons comes on
like a tribute to 90s Hong Kong classics but without the charm. Avoid at all
costs." AW
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