Starring: Wu Zun, Han Geng, Barbie Hsu, Liu Qian, Yuan Biao, Yu Rongguang

Director: Gao Xiaosong

“OPERATIC” is the word to describe Gao Xiaosong’s “My Kingdom,” a 1920s-set martial arts drama about the deadly rivalries between different wusheng (male warriors in Beijing opera).

Splendidly shot and styled to recreate the gilded existence of pre-World War II Shanghai, the film is bookended by duels choreographed with balletic grace by Sammo Hung. In between is an overlong potboiler plot entwined in enough revenge, betrayal, taboo love and corruption to fill a dozen traditional repertoires.

Despite its shared background with Chen Kaige’s “Farewell My Concubine” and “Forever Enthralled,” Chen’s arthouse disciples will find “My Kingdom” too commercial. A popular audience may be less averse to the lurid material, cosmetically improved by fine art direction.

“My Kingdom” follows the friendship and fall-out of Yilong (Wu Zun) and Erkui (Han Geng), two wusheng novices raised like brothers who go to Shanghai to avenge their master Yu’s (Yuan Biao) humiliating defeat by rival Yue (Yu Rongguang). Before they leave, Yu lectures them on the three taboos of their profession. Of course, they proceed to break each of them, especially when they meet Mulan (Barbie Hsu), Yue’s alluring disciple and lover.

The first half hour is tightly narrated and packed with elegant traditional one-to-one sparring. It peaks with Yilong and Erkui challenging Yue to a spear fight on stage that deploys the entire opera troupe. Kwong Ting-wo and Lam Wah-chuen’s lush cinematography makes deft use of top shots to foreground the beautiful symmetry of acrobatic movements and bright costumes representative of Beijing opera.

However, the screenplay by Zou Jingzhi and Gao loses credibility as three more revenge plots kick in, veering more and more off course from the initial theme of how fraternity is tested by ambition. The momentum of earlier martial arts scenes does not return till near the end, with a thrill swordfight between Erkui and Mulan in a wine cellar, where bottles and barrels are used imaginatively as props.

Sumptuously clothed in vintage fashion, pop idols Wu and Hsu may bring in a younger crowd otherwise indifferent to the dated subject, but their performances are unimpressive. Hsu, who made her ruthlessness seems sexy in “Reign of Assassin,” fails to generate similar charisma.

The movie is now being screened in Shenzhen.

(SD-Agencies)