More high-flying fantasy from Taiwan with Lin Hsiao Lan

MAGIC WARRIORS (1991) is one of a handful of Taiwan fantasy films starring wunderkind Lin Hsiao Lan, a young female action star with notable acrobatic and martial arts abilities, cuteness to spare, and pretty good acting talents to boot. MAGIC OF SPELL and KUNG FU WONDERCHILD are the other starring fantasy roles of hers that I've seen. These are wild fantasies with lots of flying and transforming characters, demons, and acrobatic, wire-enhanced fighting. (I've also seen A HEROIC FIGHT, which is set in contemporary Hong Kong, and TWELVE ANIMALS, which casts her in a supporting role in an ensemble cast. She plays male parts in every one of these five films.) MAGIC WARRIORS, like KUNG FU WONDERCHILD, was directed by Lee Tso Nam, a reliable hand at old-school kung fu (EAGLE'S CLAW, CHALLENGE OF DEATH, FATAL NEEDLES FATAL FISTS). However, as entertaining as these two films are, neither is as inspired as MAGIC OF SPELL, the earliest of the five (and also reviewed on this site). There's a lot more talk here, a lot less magic, a lot more shouting and a lot less kung fu, despite the presence of male star Alexander Lou, a major kung fu star in his own right (NINJA FINAL DUEL, NINJA HUNTER, SHAOLIN VS. LAMA), who performs mostly wire-fu combat here. 

Lin's a little older here than in MAGIC OF SPELL so she has to lay off some of the cuteness quotient on her precocious co-star, a six- or seven-year-old boy in a blond wig who plays the magical child of a husband-and-wife wizard team. When the husband and wife are captured by a band of demons working for an evil sorcerer, Lin protects the boy and guards him on their journey to seek help. They eventually enlist the aid of a magical warrior freed from a well who joins them in their preparations for battle and their final raid on the sorcerer's hidden HQ. (Alexander Lou plays both the boy's father and the well warrior.)

The boy is mischief-prone and turns out to be quite a handful. At a roadside tavern he gets drunk(!) and uses his magical powers in one amusing bit to make a wooden bench and wine jug dance. When demons try to abduct him, he farts to ward them off. Later, while preparing for battle, the well warrior asks for water and the boy urinates into a cup and gives it to him, earning praise for the taste of the "water." 

The demons are mostly plants or animals (wella fly and a snail) transformed into humans. One demon actually transforms from what looks like a sack of flour. So the creatures are not terribly imaginative this time out.

The tape viewed was dubbed in Cantonese and had no subtitles, so I have to admit that key details were lost to me. MAGIC OF SPELL, also reviewed on this site, was viewed in Japanese with no subs but was fairly easy to follow because it had less talk and was based on the Japanese folk tale, "Momotaro, the Peach Boy." MAGIC WARRIORS may be based on a Chinese folk tale. Lin plays Siu Fei Long ("Fei Long" means dragon), but I have been unable to locate any references to this character. If you enjoyed the other films with Lin Hsiao Lan and/or are a fan of Asian fantasy films, then I would recommend this title should an English subtitled version ever become available.

Mandarin-language cinema across Mainland China, Taiwan, and Singapore explores historical reflection, cultural identity, and personal sacrifice, often expressed through poetic visuals and sweeping narratives. In Mainland China, this takes the form of allegory and large-scale epics that reflect on national history. Taiwan emphasizes intimate modernist realism, generational change, and the search for identity. Singapore contributes stories of migration, multiculturalism, and the negotiation of tradition in a globalized city.

The adventure genre features exciting journeys, quests, or expeditions undertaken by characters who often face challenges, obstacles, and risks in pursuit of a goal. Adventures can take place in a wide range of settings, from exotic and fantastical locations to historical or even everyday environments.

The fantasy genre features imaginative and often magical worlds, characters, and events. It explores realms beyond the boundaries of reality, featuring elements such as magic, mythical creatures, supernatural powers, and fantastical settings. These stories can take place in entirely fictional worlds or blend fantastical elements with real-world settings.

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