The Shadow Whip Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

The Shadow Whip Blu-ray Movie Review

The Shadow Whip is an action-packed adventure with excitement across the board. Produced by Run Run Shaw (The 36th Chamber of Shaolin, To Kill a Mastermind), The Shadow Whip features star performances by Pei-Pei Cheng and Hua Yueh. A must-see classic gem for Shaw Brothers fans.

Yun Kai-yun (Pei-Pei Cheng) wields the mighty power of the legendary Shadow Whip. The Shadow Whip is one of the most powerful weapons of all. The Shadow Whip has been used before in multiple cases of murder and even as something to aid the success of a significant heist worth more gold than one might imagine.

An incredible and powerful weapon, The Shadow Whip is now in use by Yun Kai-yun while she goes on dangerous missions to take on a group of 16 bandits and while she also seeks her own brand of revenge and justice against those who killed her beloved father and brought his end in the form of a grueling and cruel death. Yun Kai-yun uses the whip to defeat the villains and fight for the future. Can Yun Kai-yun use The Shadow Whip to accomplish all of her mighty goals?

Pei-Pei Cheng delivers an exceptional performance in the lead role. Pei-Pei Cheng is a talented actress and she has an abundance of star power. Her performance is certainly an important part of the film. There is an undeniable charm and majesty to Pei-Pei Cheng and she carries the film on her own shoulders.

The stunts coordinated by Simon Hsu (The Golden Lion, The Flying Guillotine) are first-rate. The Shadow Whip is an incredible achievement as a martial arts epic. The action scenes are impressive and the choreography is entertaining through- and-through. The stunts engage and entertain in spades. Outstanding action and Hsu brings the action sequencing to a whole new level.

The production values of the feature-film are impressive. The set designs are well-done and feel large in scale and scope. The set decoration by Ching-Shen Chen (Hong Kong Godfather, The Lady Is the Boss) is outstanding as well. These design elements certainly help to raise the bar for the entire production.

The score composed by Fu-Liang Chou (Drunken Master, Mantis Fist Fighter) is engaging and enjoyable. The music plays a big role in the feature-film. The score is a perfect accompaniment to the action and spectacle. There is something enormously rewarding about the music and the way Chou brings out these action sequences with plenty of spectacle and splendor.

The cinematography by Cho-Hua Wu (Vengeance of a Snowgirl, Sacred Knives of Vengeance) is quite beautiful and effective at highlighting the majesty of the production. The cinematography does an excellent job of showcasing the visual wonderment of the production and the action set pieces. Cinematographer Wu has a keen visual sensibility and does a great job with the production.

The screenplay by Kuang Ni (The 36th Chamber of Shaolin, The Singing Killer) and Wei Lo is highly entertaining and enjoyable. The plot is well done and the characters are engaging. The lead is a wonderful character for the tale and audiences will certainly root for her character to succeed.

Directed by Wei Lo (The Big Boss, New Fist of Fury), The Shadow Whip is an ambitious and fun Shaw Brothers feature. The filmmaking is superb and there is something special about the manner of the visuals and the painterly quality Lo brings to the production with each frame. The film is a visually stunning action film and one that Shaw Brothers fans won’t want to miss.

The Shadow Whip Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Released on Blu-ray by Shout Factory, The Shadow Whip is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high-definition in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 2.35:1 widescreen. The presentation is quite pleasing across the release with good color reproduction and notable detail. The release does look somewhat processed at times but it is a clean and crisp print without blemishes from scratches or damages. The scan is pleasing and still retains a good amount of detail in the image.

The Shadow Whip 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 pleasing and provides a good listening experience with the dialogue crisp and well reproduced. The score composed by Fu-Liang Chou sounds engaging and dynamic throughout the presentation. The audio is free from hiss or egregious issues. Subtitles are effective and free from any egregious spelling or grammatical errors.

The Shadow Whip Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Audio Commentary with Critic and Author David West

Celestial Trailer (HD, 1:10)

The Shadow Whip Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Shadow Whip is an enormously entertaining Shaw Brothers classic. The film has a wonderful sense of style. Pei-Pei Cheng exudes charm and whip-smart (pun intended) moves in the leading role. A robustly entertaining and engaging feature-film, The Shadow Whip is well worth seeing for any Shaw Brothers fans. The Blu-ray release provides a solid high-definition presentation and lossless audio. Recommended.