REIGN OF ASSASSINS

Being part of a notorious band of assassins does not do wonders with one’s social life. Especially not when you betray them and run away with the mystical mummified remains of an Indian monk. After another bloody job, Drizzle – a lethal and very attractive hired killer – decides to turn her back on the Dark Stone gang. It’s easier said than done, because her boss Wheel King immediately puts a price on her head. Drizzle opts for some radical face-changing surgery and takes on the identity of a dead woman. She starts a new life as a fabrics trader in a small town and even falls in love with a guy called Ahsheng. Her new found happiness will not last long though, because Drizzle’s turbulent past is hot on her heels. Reign of Assassins is one of the best martial arts movies in recent years with all the right elements in the right place : dazzling swordfights, characters with hidden motives and a mystical weapon that everybody wants. Taiwanese director- scripwriter Chao-pin Su is not unknown to the festival. His Double Vision ( Bifff 2003 ) and Silk ( Bifff 2007 ) got a warm reception here. And we certainly don’t need to introduce co-director and producer John Woo. Add to this Asian superstar Michelle Yeoh ( Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Tomorrow Never Dies, Sunshine ) as Drizzle, Korean heartthrob Woo-sung Jung ( The Warrior, The Good, The Bad, The Weird ) a Ah-Sheng and Chinese veteran Xueqi Wang ( Bodyguards and Assassins ) as Wheel King and you get one hell of a wuxia !