Our
old friend Tim Paxton once wrote in his magazine Monster: "Magic
of Spell is a 'this-is-so-cool- I-don't-want-to-blink-or-I'll-miss-something
experience." Probably, no one could better describe it. This movie
is loaded with a virtual parade of eye-popping, mind-blowing, utterly
flabbergasting moments... so demented, so crazed, that the viewer will
be dumbstruck by its sheer vitality. Where else can you see a sword-wielding,
androgynous superhero chased by a giant boulder [with teeth] while an
evil magician baths in a pool of blood?
Stylistically,
Ching Chung Wu's film is obviously inspired by fantasies like WOLF
DEVIL WOMAN, but the rowdy sense of turmoil puts it in a league
by itself. The plot deals with a superpowered youngster (called Peach
Boy) who organizes a vengeance army to rescue villagers taken hostage
by a band of demons. The perfunctory story merely serves as mortar for
a celluloid triumph drenched in vibrant color, flush with fantasy.
A Taiwan
/ Chinese production in Mandarin language with English/Chinese subtitles;
widescreen format, totally uncut version (83 min.), DVD encoded for ALL
REGION NTSC, playable on any American machine. Extras include theatrical
trailers.
