Defiant

Action martial arts historical romp! I have been waiting for this film for over a year and finally got a proper blue ray version, and it is an amazing martial arts ride as expected. It is quite close to Rurouni Kenshin and the Korean The Swordsman, although the story here serves only as a sauce for the fights, which doesn't matter at all because I always appreciate honest craftsmanship and proper choreography. The protagonist is a blind swordsman and bounty hunter who is collecting money for his eye operation and decides to bring justice to a city that has suffered a tragedy. A groom has been brutally murdered and the bride brutally attacked. Revenge in this case means a pile of dead bodies and a lot of broken bones. Right from the opening fight in the rain, where the protagonist brutally mows down a gang of bastards, but in such a way that it hurt even me and it literally shot me off the couch, which hasn't happened in a long time. The film has beautiful visuals, and considering the low-budget film, they took my breath away in some places. Most of the fractures are even in slow motion, so you really get to enjoy every move and hit, and thanks to the highly developed choreography, believe me, there is something to watch. The protagonist uses about three different fighting styles, and although he is blind, he is the ultimate killing machine with no competition. He also has two strong opponents, a woman and a jumping lunatic with hooks, and the fights with them are worth it. The film is only 75 minutes long, so it doesn't have time to captivate with the plot, and you mostly just waits for the fight sequences, but it's still fantastic. If you like martial arts stuff, don't hesitate! It's a shame that the film was not two hours long and did not deliver more. 8/10. (03.01.2024)