The Brave Archer III Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

The Brave Archer III Blu-ray Movie Review

The Brave Archer III is the third installment in the Shaw Brothers film series. Adapted from the novel The Legend of the Condor Heroes by Louis Cha, The Brave Archer III is produced by Mona Fong (The 36th Chamber of Shaolin, The Avenging Eagle). Starring Sheng Fu, Niu Niu, and Lung Ti.

Guo Jing (Alexander Fu Sheng) and Huang Rong (Niu-niu) are on a new mission. The journey of the Brave Archer continues. Guo and Huang have teamed up and are now looking for a cure to the deadly attack from the Iron Palm Clan.

Epic fights ensue as the characters traverse to a swamp and meet the mysterious Yinggu (Ching Li). As the journey unfolds, Guo and Huang ultimately must fight the Iron Palm clan sect one more time – to see who can emerge as the hero. Who will emerge victorious as kung fu skills are put to the ultimate test?

Alexander Fu Sheng and Niu-niu deliver strong performances in the leading roles. The supporting cast members – including both Ching Li and Lung Ti – do good work in the feature-film, too. The Brave Archer III is all the better for it.

The costume designs by Chi-Yu Liu (An Amorous Woman of Tang Dynasty, Tiger Killer) are well-done and add to the style of the filmmaking. Liu did great work with the costuming. Both the lead and supporting characters have excellent costume designs.

The stunts were coordinated by Sheng Chiang (Thrilling Bloody Sword, The Sword Stained with Royal Blood), Phillip Chung-Fung Kwok (The Bride with White Hair, Hard Boiled), and Feng Lu (Avenging Warriors of Shaolin, The Sword Stained with Royal Blood). The stunt work is incredible. There are fantastic action sequences. The action builds and is exhilarating in The Brave Archer III.

The cinematography by Hui-Chi Tsao (Shaolin Intruders, Lightning Fists of Shaolin) is impressive and robust looking. The cinematography showcases a lot of wonderful visuals throughout. The visual language of the film is engaging.

Composed by Chin-Yung Shing (Dragons Forever, The Lady Is the Boss) and Chen-Hou Su (Hong Kong Godfather, Portrait in Crystal), The Brave Archer III features an excellent score. The music adds an excellent depth to the filmmaking. The score a great backdrop to the action sequences.

Edited by Hsing-Lung Chiang (The Love Eterne, The Avenging Eagle) and Yen-Hai Li (The 36th Chamber of Shaolin, Dirty Ho), The Brave Archer III is well-paced. The editing style is impressive throughout. There is a lot to celebrate about the editorial vision accomplished by Chiang.

Written by Cheh Chang and Kuang Ni (The 36th Chamber of Shaolin, The Eight Diagram Pole Fighter), The Brave Archer III is a fun script. The characters have great moments to shine in it. Dialogue is well done throughout.

Directed by Cheh Chang (The Deadly Duo, One-Armed Swordsman), The Brave Archer III is another must-see Shaw Brothers classic. The Brave Archer III delivers the incredible action Chang is renowned for delivering. Shaw Brothers fans won’t want to miss it.

The Brave Archer III Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Released on Blu-ray by Shout Factory, The Brave Archer III is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high-definition in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 2.35:1 widescreen. The high-definition video is impressive and the transfer looks naturally filmic. The color reproduction is well done. Excellent encoding, too.

The Brave Archer III Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Blu-ray 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 offers excellent audio fidelity and overall detail. The English subtitles are excellent throughout. The presentation provides good depth to the audio soundstage.

The Brave Archer III Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

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 offers excellent audio fidelity and overall detail. The English subtitles are excellent throughout. The presentation provides good depth to the audio soundstage.

The Brave Archer III Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Brave Archer III is a fantastic action-adventure. The filmmaking is excellent and The Brave Archer III is a great showcase for the skilled action direction of the legendary Cheh Chang (The Deadly Duo). The presentation is impressive with good high- definition video and lossless audio. The release also has a noteworthy supplement – a remembrance of director Chang Cheh. Highly recommended.