Judge Archer (2016) Fantasia 2016

Haofeng Xu's follow up to SWORD IDENTITY is more of the same- a realistic and bone dry comedy (of sorts) that seeks to put a spin on martial arts films but is so entrenched with upending and riffing martial arts conventions you have to be an expert to truly understand the film (I didn't get SWORD IDENTITY until Ric Meyers explained it to me at New York Comic Con in 2012)

The plot has something to do with a man running away and taking the name of a man named Judge Archer who is 16th in line of men destined to act as an avenger between martial arts schools . He's hired  by a woman to avenge her.

There are lots of realistic fight, lots of long silences and not a hell of a lot to grab on to as to plot and characters. You really have to go with it or else kind of go mad. I started to fall aseep 20 minutes in and I battled to stay awake until the end. Yes it looks good, yes it has great fights, but god damn its obtuse. I simply couldn't connect.

If you loved SWORD IDENTITY give it ago, if not stay away.