I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Good story, Not enough for a whole film

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

This is another martial arts flick with weapons and it's a pretty good one at that, just isn't great. Mainly it's because the story is sort of flat although all over the place at times. But I liked the comic book style of this movie and since it works sometimes. The title of this movie is the weapons that Donnie Yen's character carries around with him in a wooden box, but they mostly all look generic. Although each weapon has it's purpose, but you can't tell which weapon is which while watching for the most part. Also the 14 blades isn't even used in a special manner, it just seemed like regular swords for the most part. It would have been cool if it showed each weapon with a distinctive different look and style of fighting to it. But that just doesn't apply to this movie for the most part. What starts out as a bit over the place plot while being somewhat interesting quickly becomes a romance movie between Donnie Yen and Zhao Wei's characters. However the fight choreography is done really well in this and doesn't come off as being super lame to watch or anything like that. It seems like Donnie Yen's talent is increasing with every martial arts movie he is in. The set pieces are well crafted as well and if the plot carried it's own weight as well, this would have been a great martial arts movie.5.8/10

As i said in the summary this movie is like a candy for a chocolate lover! If you are the kinda person who likes the martial art movies, if you wanna see some kungfu kicks and wanna hear swusshhhh of the swords, this is the movie for you. Story is not that extraordinary, screenplay is good, locations are good. In the second half of the movie they added this middle-eastern styled city, it looks like a place straight from Arabian desert cartoon and Chun Wu's appearance fills the role of Aladdin lol.Wei Zhao was good in her role but I'm not sure how much you gonna like her. She is not the Wei Zhao of shaolin soccer or red cliff, shes more of a Wei Zhao of warriors of heaven and earth. she does not know any martial arts in the movie and the love story between Donnie and Wei is not that impressive. The box of swords used by Donnie and the all little gadgets its embedded with is quite new and very good. Kate Tsui's role was good, she had the exact amount of screen time that was needed and she did exactly what she was supposed to do. However there are quite a lot mistakes but hey come on, its a martial arts movie. The ending of the movie could have been different and better.Final verdict: Good acting, good action scenes, okish story, nice locations and worth watching MA. Its definitely watchable movie, i got exactly what i expected to see, not a penny more not a penny less. I give it a rating of 6.

Donnie Yen have been in some stinkers recently so I wasn't expecting much but I found 14 Blades rather enjoyable.Its a set period piece where Donnie Yen plays Qing-Long (Green dragon) the leader of the imperial bodyguard/secret police/death squad. He gets tricked by the palace eunuch to help steal the imperial stamp. The movie is about his exploits in getting it back.As in most movies there is a love story as well but its more to add depth to Donnie's character rather then some sappy mushy mess. This movies is a Martial Arts Western with bits Prince of Persia thrown in. For some reason Donnie also look like he has dreadlocks and look like a pirate. Fight scenes are good and very fast.The revelation to me was Kate Tsui as Tuo Tuo. She should actually get 3rd billing for this movie. She hardly says anything but her presence as the "bad guy" and her fight scenes are very good. when watching I kept thinking ..."perhaps the next Bridgette Lin for martial Art movies"If you are not looking for a deep story with great acting but an action adventure, 14 Blades fit the bill.

This genre usually gives rise to somewhat standard expectations, with great action as the top, if not the only, priority. This is particularly so in the case when you have the best, Donnie Yen. And yet, while Yan has never let his loyal followers down, including this time, the climatic duel in this movie is with Kate Tsui (as Tuo Tuo, a deadly Amazon and a daughter of an ambitious warlord), generally recognized as the most promising in the talent department among the crop of young actresses, but not by any stretch of imagination an action star remotely in the league of Yen. Top-notch action direction and earnest effort on the part of the young lady helps, but this is clearly not one of the "exceeds expectation" items in my summary line. But then, almost everything else is.With the proliferation of martial art action movies in recent years, you need to have new selling points to make a movie of this genre stand out. This one has not just one, but a few. The title devise, the 14 blades, is one. As explained at the very beginning (so don't be late), the arsenals of the Jin Yi Wei ("glamorously apparelled guards" - see below) comprises various gadgets stored in a box not unlike one in which you carry roses on Valentine's Day. The content, however, is like something that Batman would have commissioned Q to design (had he been acquainted with the gentleman). Be rest assured that these gadgets have ample opportunities to entertain your throughout the movie. Tuo Tuo's arsenal is another. Her weapon is a crossover of a whip and a blade, and wickedly clever camera work makes sure that she wields it with equally deadly efficiency. True, this is more like the ultra cool poses that Johnny To used for pistols in his classic "The mission" (1999 – "Cheung Fo"), but it's just as fun to watch. But topping even that is her layered silk-like garments that she sheds, right in the middle of a fight, as decoys to distract weapons as she circles her opponents like a whirlwind. And she completes the circle by slipping back into these layers of her garments, by which time the opponent is usually dead with his throat slashed. If that is not exotic, I don't know what is. One further addition of these exotic collections is bandit-turned-Robin-Hood, desert bandit chief Judge's joined curved blades that looks like a propeller and works like a boomerang. You can imagine how highly entertaining it is to watch a duel between any pair of these three (and you'll see them all). By the way, I've got to say this: I'm almost certain that the director wrote to Johnny Depp to borrow his costumes from "Pirates of the Caribbean" for his character Judge.Still on the "hardware" aspects of the movie, the exotic set pieces and desert landscape are something that you may perhaps see in similar movies, but not as meticulously designed and beautifully shot. On the "software" side, there is a serviceable plot, essentially surrounding an imperial seal which will cause tragic bloodsheds if fell into the hands of an ambitious warlord. The middle section of the movie on the chase and hunt, tracking and dodging looks very much like a retro western, and is equally enjoyable.The woe of the Jin Yi Wei is well depicted: imperial effective killing machines recruited from orphans, following orders without any moral qualms. Donnie, whose acting ability is beginning to catch up with his top-notch action skills, portrays such a one, who finds himself in an agonizing dilemma when his conscience is awaken. Lovely Vicki Zhao is perfect as the determined daughter trying to be the son of a father whose business of express delivery of treasured items is declining. The movie takes attentive pain if developing these two main characters and the romance between them. It pays off as a convincing story, with due credit to good acting from Yan and Zhao.All told, this movie offers exciting action, rich details, interesting characters and appealing visuals and, something that I haven't mentioned, excellent sound editing and mixing. Can't remember in my recent cinematic experience of this genre that has quite kept my attention continuously for 2 full hours.