Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

Heroes Two Blu-ray Movie Review

Heroes Two is an incredible and exciting action-packed adventure. Produced by Run Run Shaw (The 36th Chamber of Shaolin, Return of the Sentimental Swordsman), Heroes Two is another testament to the incredible achievements of the Shaw Brothers films. Starring Sheng Fu, Kuan Tai Chen, and Mu Chu. Featuring co-stars Hsin Fang, Hark-On Fung, Yi Feng, Yen-Tsan Tang, Ching Wong, and Nan Chiang.

Fang Shih-yu (Sheng Fu) and Hung Hsi-kuan (Kuan Tai Chen) fight together as the duo take on the Ching as a dynamic team: the Heroes Two. The two heroes find it in themselves to unite against the threat of the Ching as the ruthless and dangerous Ching fighters continue their attacks – including burning the sacred Shaolin Temple. General Che Kang (Mu Chu) is a diabolical leader and one who leads a violent oppression. The stakes are enormous as the heroes fight through the dangerous Ching. Even Hung Hsi-kuan becomes temporarily imprisoned until he can escape and continue the fight.

 General Che Kang has several tricks up his sleeve, though – even after Hung Hsi-kuan escapes prison and continues the fight in alliance with his close friends – the Kung Fu expertise of General Che Kang means the perils are far from over. General Che Kang and his army of minions will stop at nothing to win the battle. Can the Heroes Two win the fight with Fang Shih-yu and Hung Hsi-kuan as the emerging victors?

The performances are engaging and well-done throughout the feature-film. Sheng Fu and Kuan Tai Chen are both impressive as the two heroes of the tale. The actors have fun with their respective roles and enjoy delving into the parts with enthusiasm and gusto. A wonderful achievement by the cast. The supporting cast of actors also had a good time with their parts and it shows throughout the film.

The action is the main attraction of Heroes Two and action fans are in for a real treat with the film. The stunts are coordinated and choreographed by Chia-Liang Liu (Drunken Master II, The Eight Diagram Pole Fighter) and Chia Tang (Shaolin Intruders, To Kill a Mastermind). The stunts are exhilarating and fun to watch. There is so much to enjoy in watching the stunts unfold and the cast bring their best to these stunts. The stunt work is poetic and one can’t help but look at the artistry of the action as if a dance is unfolding – something utterly transfixing.

The score composed by Fu-Ling Wang (The Big Boss, One-Armed Boxer) is an enormous amount of fun and the music provides the perfect backdrop to the action scenes. The spectacle of Heroes Two is certainly greatly enhanced by the score by Wang. The music ebbs and flows throughout the film, providing an adrenaline-packed backdrop to the spectacle. Wang did a great job with the film.

The costumes by Chi Li (Disciples of Shaolin, Five Shaolin Masters) are a key part of the production, too. The costumes play a vital role in bringing the tale to life. The characters are well dressed with costume designs that fit the characters well.

The cinematography by Mu-To Kung (The Boxer from Shantung, Five Deadly Venoms) is exhilarating and a joy to experience. The cinematography is essential to the cinematic storytelling. Without the visually enriching style of the cinematography, Heroes Two wouldn’t work as well. An essential ingredient to the filmmaking.

Directed by Cheh Chang (Ninja in Ancient China, Shaolin Hellgate) and written by Chang alongside co-screenwriter Kuang Ni (The 36th Chamber of Shaolin, The Eight Diagram Pole Fighter), Heroes Two is enormously entertaining ride. The filmmaking is superb and Chang proves again to be one of the greatest Hong Kong action filmmakers. The script is entertaining and Chang brings the script to life. This is a fun thrill ride and one Shaw Brothers fans won’t want to miss.

Heroes Two Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Released on Blu-ray by Shout Factory, Heroes Two is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high-definition in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 2.35:1 widescreen. The high-definition transfer presents a pleasing and engaging encode. Heroes Two has nice color reproduction on the whole and some sequences are especially colorful and provide a vibrant aesthetic highlighting the cinematography.

There are some soft scenes and shots in Heroes Two but overall there is a decent amount of detail seen in the presentation. Even though it is not the most filmic of Shaw Brothers presentations, the transfer is reasonably good and free from egregious issues with print damage, scratches, tears, and other transfer deficiencies. A solid encode provided by Shout Factory.

Heroes Two Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release includes a selection of lossless audio options: Mandarin DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono (with English subtitles) and English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono. The lossless audio is engaging. Dialogue is crisp and easy to understand. The score is well highlighted on the release. Subtitles are excellent and free from any egregious spelling or grammatical errors.

Heroes Two Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Audio Commentary with Critic and Author David West

Original Theatrical Trailer (SD, 4:50)

German Trailer (HD, 2:59)

Celestial Trailer (HD, 1:03)

Heroes Two Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Heroes Two is a great time. The filmmaking is fun and exhilarating. There is so much to appreciate about the artistry of the production. Not only is the cast terrific but the production team put together a great film with a lot of great artistic merit.

Shaw Brothers fans will want to see the action-packed Heroes Two. The Blu-ray release features a solid high-definition presentation and lossless audio. The release also comes with an audio commentary featuring critic and author David West. Recommended.