Title: An outdated firework by Hong Kong's most eclectic film-maker
Product review: Seminal in 1983 for its amalgamation of special effects, wire-work, and kung-fu, now "Zu" looks like an antique whose wrinkles are glaringly obvious next to today's wire-fu/fantasy films ("Crouching Tiger," "Storm Riders"). Hark, like his contemporary Western counterpart Spielberg, ranges from the sublime to the subterranean, and "Zu" falls just short of his worst attempts (i.e. "The Master," "Once Upon in China 3"). However, Hark's visual palette with vast array of vibrant colors create a few striking tableaus that make "Zu" moderately interesting. But in the end, the lack of kung-fu and an engaging story leads to a big superfluous mound of color and chaos, which will only please the most diehard Hark or Hong Kong fan. BTW: Check out Hark's finest, "Peking Opera Blues," "The Blade," and "Time and Tide," for the best cinema has to offer from the last fifteen years.
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