Seven Swords (2005)

I went to the cinema to see this film, mainly because it was on and because, as I wrote previously, I am something of a sucker for Hong Kong action flicks.  However I wish I had checked the length beforehand, since two and a half hours (after the ads) is a long time for these old bones to sit.  And it's not as if it was anything terribly original -- think "Seven Samurai" or "The Magnificent Seven" (Hong Kong has an long history of ripping off other films -- although nowadays they too get ripped off by Hollywood).  Anyhow in its favour, I thought, was the fact that it was directed by Tsui Hark, one of the old-time directors, and the action was well staged and, at times, brilliantly photographed with good use of colour.  However the tale of seven nearly undefeatable swordsman defeating the marauding hordes seemed to go on forever -- and there was a long and inexcusable set-up for the sequel at the end!