Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

Dragon Swamp Blu-ray Movie Review

 Dragon Swamp is an essential martial arts feature-film. The action-packed adventure is a great production with an impressive sense of scope and scale. Produced by Runme Shaw, Dragon Swamp features Pei-Pei Cheng in the lead role. Co-starring Lieh Lo. Featuring Feng Ku as old master Song Junyi. Shaw Brothers fans won’t want to miss it.

Fan Ying (Pei-Pei Cheng) is charged with stealing the mythical Jade Dragon Sword. The Jade Dragon Sword is one of the most cherished swords in the entire world and it is highly sought after for its profound powers. Banished to the Dragon Swamp, Fan teams up with Yu Jiang (Lieh Lo) and an incredible new adventure awaits.

Everyone is after the Jade Dragon Sword this time – no matter the cost – causing bloodshed for the sword. Fan and Yu are on a big mission and encounter the likes of the Roaming Knight (Hua Yueh) and Swamp Master (Li Tung) on their journey. Who will claim victory to possessing the Jade Dragon Sword when all is said and done?

The performances are excellent in Dragon Swamp. First and foremost, Pei-Pei Cheng is exceptional in the leading role. Pei-Pei Cheng is a great performer and the dedication to the role is obvious. Cheng manages to provide a sense of exciting adventure to the production while providing dramatic depth. Likewise, Lieh Lo is a great co-star and gives a similarly noteworthy performance. The two share the screen in a compelling way.

The stunts are also incredible and a huge part of the production. The stunt work is first-rate and adds a lot to the filmmaking. The high-octane action is enhanced tenfold due to the impressive stunt scenes.

The score composed by Fu-Ling Wang (The Big Boss, The Singing Killer) is a beautiful highlight of the feature. The score is exquisite: a hypnotic score that highlights the lead actors and the epic journey. Outstanding music by Wang and another testament to the significance of the music in Shaw Brothers productions.

The cinematography by Cho-Hua Wu (Sacred Knives of Vengeance, Vengeance of a Snowgirl) is a visual highlight. The cinematography shines with radiant beauty – the type of visual splendor necessary to enhance the entire Shaw Brothers production. The fight scenes are eloquently lensed and the film manages to make an impression visually.

The production design is top-notch. As is the art direction by Ching-Shen Chen (The Tiger and the Widow, Lightning Fists of Shaolin). These elements helped to propel the filmmaking forward. An incredible effort from those involved. The costumes by Kamber Huang (The Jade Raksha, The Sword of Swords) add to the style of the film, too. The costumes seem perfectly suited for these characters and their respective roles.

Edited by Hsing-Lung Chiang (Sons of the Good Earth, The Avenging Eagle), Dragon Swamp is a fun and exciting motion-picture event. The editing is excellent and there are a lot of great things going on. The filmmaking is well-paced and the flow of the tale is impressive.

Written and directed by Wei Lo (The Big Boss, Dragon Fist), Dragon Swamp is a great Shaw Brothers film and one that will easily appeal to fans of these martial arts epics. The filmmaking is superb throughout. The excellent craftmanship of the production is on full display. Director Lo made a gem with this film.

Dragon Swamp Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Released on Blu-ray by Shout Factory, Dragon Swamp is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high-definition in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 2.35:1 widescreen. The presentation of Dragon Swamp is impressive and visually engaging. The high-definition presentation showcases a high-quality print of the film and the print is free from egregious issues with print damage or wear. The scan looks quite impressive with crisp clarity and no significant blemishes. The color reproduction on the release is visually noteworthy, too. A quality encode by Shout Factory.

Dragon Swamp Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release is presented in Mandarin DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono (with English subtitles). The lossless audio quality on the release is excellent. Dialogue is clear and easy to understand. The film score is well reproduced and integrated into the sound mix. The track has some impressive sound effects which are also well mixed.

Dragon Swamp Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Audio Commentary with Filmmaker Gilbert Po

Original Theatrical Trailer (HD, 4:19)

Celestial Trailer (HD, 1:06)

Dragon Swamp Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Dragon Swamp is an enormously entertaining Shaw Brothers gem. The classic action-adventure epic showcases great performances by Pei-Pei Cheng, Lieh Lo, and Feng Ku. Dragon Swamp has a great presentation with quality high-definition visuals and lossless audio. The release also includes a commentary track with filmmaker Gilbert Po. Recommended.