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 f "What Price Survival" proves anything, it's
that the Chinese, and most Asians in general, consider melodrama as essential as
breathing air or having a bowl of rice for dinner. I'm not being facetious or
even over exaggerating. Chinese plays, and now Chinese films, is notorious for
laying the melodrama on so thick you'll be hardpressed to see any actual
"reality" within them. The South Koreans, the Japanese, and the Thais
show the same penchant in their films. The motto seems to be, "Misery is
good. More misery is even better. And a film all about suffering and misery is
greatest!"
"What Price Survival" is most notable for
bringing one of my favorite "old time" Hong Kong kung fu movie stars
of the '70s, David Chiang, back to the forefront -- or at least in a role that
requires more acting than standing in the background. Chiang plays Pai Fukuo,
the leader of some sort of martial arts school in a Chinese countryside. (Don't
ask, the film never elaborates.) Fukuo's biggest rival is the obsessive
Ching-kuo (Norman Chu), who doesn't go to sleep not thinking about
killing Fukuo for whatever reason. (Again, don't ask, the film never
elaborates.)
Since Ching-kuo is the conniving type, he cheats during a
duel with Fukuo and manages to (get this) wrangle Fukuo's infant son away from
him as a reward for "winning"! And even though Ching-kuo obviously
cheated, thus breaking every "martial arts code" that the movie is
only too willing to depart to us, Fukuo lets him waltz off with his kid! Fast
forward to 30 years or so later, and Fukuo's kid is all grown up and has been
programmed to kill his father by Ching-kuo. Fukuo's son, Ning (Hsing-kuo Wu),
has been told that Fukuo was responsible for killing his parents, and he must
avenge them.
With the music cued to slam home the melodrama in all its
melodramatic glory, Ning succeeds in killing dad in a duel, but only because dad
allowed him to. Now, you may ask, why didn't dad just tell sonny that he was
sonny's dad, and that Ching-kuo is a no-good liar? Why, then Fukuo's death
wouldn't be melodramatic, of course! (Before the duel, Fukuo had met Ning
earlier on the road, and Ning had stated that he intends to kill Fukuo for
killing his parents. Thus, Fukuo knew very early on whom Ning was, and yet said
nothing.)
"What Price Survival" has a number of nagging
problems, but is saved (somewhat) by the fact that it declares its intent to
douse the whole affair in heavy melodrama from the very first scene. Nothing
beyond this point should be taken seriously, because the film is so grossly
exaggerating in the human nature department that the characters don't represent
real people, just characters in an overly dramatic Chinese theater play. Besides
that, there's a weak attempt to age the Ching-kuo character, who looks exactly
the same 30 years later, with only some added grays in his hair. Hsing-kuo Wu's
Ning, as well, is supposed to be David Chiang's son, but looks only a few years
younger.
If nothing else, the movie does look very good. With
first-time director Daniel Lee ("Black
Mask") at the helm, the film's frame compositions are outstanding, and
the use of snow and character wardrobe really gives the movie some nice visuals.
Although the action sequences in the film's first 30 minutes is badly hindered
by the use of a camera trick that makes everything onscreen blurry, jagged, and
generally indistinguishable, the film does manage to straight itself out after
this point. The action looks better, is more "real" to the eye, but
the whole blurry gimmick does come back in the final action scene,
unfortunately.
There were a couple of points about the film that continued
to bug me. For one, why does everyone carry around swords in 20th
century China? Isn't that illegal? Apparently not, because people in the movie
carry around swords the way Americans in the early 20th century wear
fedoras. I mean, everyone has a sword. Also, what exactly are the two
schools fighting about? Is it a matter of, "My school is better than
yours"? If so, why would Ching-kuo hatch such a lengthy plot? It took over
30 years to train and program Ning to kill his father. That's some patience,
I'll tell you.
"What Price Survival" is all about swordfighting
-- or at least, it's supposed to be. There's a lot of scenes with people doing
things with a sword that doesn't really seem coherent, but is supposed to
represent "fighting" by the loud clash and clangs in the foley.
Characterization in the first 30 minutes is done with such broad strokes that
it's laughable. And yet, the film does look very good. That is, until people
start leaping at each other and slashing at the air and stuff. And if the whole
"blurry fighting" camera gimmick doesn't return again in my lifetime,
I'll be a happy moviegoer.
FYI: If you were wondering why the movie has an alternate
English title of "One-Armed Swordsman", you'll find out in the end.
It's one of those scenes that has to be seen to be believed.
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