Although karate is the central theme of the plot, this movie is not a typical martial arts movie, and although there is some fighting scenes, the drama prevails over the action. The story focuses on the relationship of love and hate that Mari (our protagonist) maintains with her father (the great Yasuaki Kurata) and the art that he taught her since childhood, karate. At one point of the story, she will face the dilemma of continuing with her father´s legacy or following the path of what she considers her freedom.
Chapman To, who in addition to directing, also reserved himself a role as an actor, playing one of the key characters in the plot. seems to want to get out of the established canons and do something different within the already so exploited martial arts genre.
It has intellectual inflows, although that, it does not become pedantic, and all that oneiric visual poetry accompanied by classical music that envolves the story, makes us first-hand witnesses of the the journey of self discovery and redemption that the protagonist experiences. Wonderful performance by Stephy Tang .
Fights do not seek spectacularity, but rather, they are quite realistic displaying realistic techniques in the ring. Dramatism overshadows excitement and the main character is not facing an opponent, her fight is against herself and her past in order to build her destiny.
Chapman To‘s martial arts vision is more spiritual than physical, and the film enlightens the traditional values that martial arts that in the modern world seems to be vanished, but also, it is a drama about the troublesome relationship between parents and sons, and the anguish of feeling trapped between who you are and who you want to be.
