Most film genres may have started here in the United States but over the years some countries have placed such an indelible mark on a certain type of film that it becomes something new and specific to that nation. There was the so called spaghetti western from Italy that managed to take this all American genre into completely new directions. Then you have the British comedy which is often an intelligently written amassment of silly jokes. One of the nation specific movie types that are among the most recognizable is the Hong Kong action flick. Lately this new genre has been expanded to many countries in Asia; each one adding a little local flavor and twist to the requirements of the genre. One of the latest from the People’s Republic of China is ‘Twin Daggers’. It is pretty typical faire for this type of movie with its technical aspects just a few years behind what some of the other locals are producing. Think of it more like a bit of retro presentation. The film is solidly crafted, well acted and has stunt work that will keep you glued to the screen. In order to garner a great acceptance with audiences in the west they did include an American actor; albeit one that is not a household name even here in the States but he is a consistently working actor. Just remember that when the spaghetti westerns started to gain in popularity the comparable actor in them turned out to be Clint Eastwood. Appearing in a foreign film like this is not a bad career choice for Rhett Giles.

The film opens in Los Angels; the year is 1935. In side the LA Public Library a man, Scholar (Rhett Giles), is diligently at work at a little desk. An Asian man approaches and sits down in front of him and begins to read. Meanwhile two other Asian men walk around glancing at the books on the shelves but they are menacing and obviously not there for literature. Under the table the first man attaches a silencer to a hand gun. Scholar takes off his glasses and notices that one of the other men appears to be getting a gun ready while the third is unsheathing a sword. Without warning the men attack but Scholar is more than ready for them. In a blaze of martial arts expertise he dispatches the men. The action here is more realistic than the usual Hong Kong variety. There is obviously some wire work being used but there is a feeling of gravity to the scene. This bookworm of a man transforms in an instant to a flying, kicking, punching killing machine. Towards the end of this first battle there is a little bit of the ‘Matrix’ thrown in ass the assassin is cut by Scholar, freezes in place and the camera pans around him. This appears to be typical of the action films I have seen from The People’s Republic of China. They are still experimenting with their style and freely borrow from other variations of the action genre. It doesn’t seem to be a rip off but more in line with using existing technology and camera usage in some novel ways. The scene shifts to a man in an empty bar. As he sits there a beautiful woman, Body (Veronica Bero) comes out in a very skimpy outfit and dances in front of him. Afterwards they meet again in a back room. The man starts coming on to her and climbs on top of her on a pool table. The start kissing and suddenly a blade extend out of her boot and she kills him. We then see a ninja like black man, Lex (Joee Covington) breaking into an antique store. He examines a group of vases selecting the best one to steal. A man comes down with a rife to stop him and a comic battle ensues. Last there is a hit man (Vasilios Elovalis) who is dressed as a mime. He is also extremely proficient in marital arts and quite deadly. All of these initial scenes are to introduce the people that will be hired by Kay Moi (Coco Su) to avenge the murder of her parents. They were killed by her twin sister, Sue (Coco Su), who did it to take over the family’s lucrative business interests. The team is dispatched to Shanghai to locate Sue. Once there Scholar becomes involved with his target and begins to doubt the mission. This is reinforced once Scholar begins to unravel a mystery involving both sisters. It turns out that what was told to him by Kay Moi is not exactly the truth. The deeper he becomes with both sisters the muddier the waters are for Scholar. He is torn between the two completely opposite sisters drawn in by their beauty and cunning. This leads him to conflict between Scholar and his teammates.

This is a really solid action flick with just the right amount of comic relief. Much of the action is done with the tongue planted firmly in cheek. As mentioned you might know the name Rhett Giles but you certainly have seen him. He has made a steady career for himself in action roles on television and films. Here he has a little bit of a Indy Jones quality to his portrayal of Scholar; the an of learning who can kick butt when the need arises. Veronica Bero has had mostly smaller roles but she has the potential to become a much better known action heroine. She combines exactly what is necessary for this role; beauty, grace and deadly style. Joee Covington is a poor man’s Jackie Chan in this movie. He has a natural sense of how to use his body to provide action and comedy in a scene. The film was directed by Chan Kwan-Hau. He has ample experience behind the camera and it shows. Not only has he been working as a director in China for two decades he has extensive work experience as a cinematographer. His resume demonstrates why he has such a good eye for framing the scenes, especially noticeable inn the many action sequences. He allows the action to flow naturally. More importantly he doesn’t sacrifice the story for the battles. He does what so many other action oriented directors fail to do; maintain the story’s narrative using the action to punctuate not overwhelm. He also takes on the added degree of difficulty filming one actress in a dual role. The final battle scene with both characters participating is nearly seamless in the way it was filmed. Okay, the dialogue has the tendency to move towards the corny side but it is consistent with a more comic approach used throughout the film. He weaves a story that has elements of mystery, action and comedy better than a lot of the independent action film directors here can provide.

The United States DVD distribution of this film is from the folks over at Lion’s Gate. They have been providing a lot of foreign films to the American audiences that you most likely never heard a thing about. Once again they score a solid hit with this one.