hsia nu be not only one of the most remarkable martial art movie one could imagine and but in any sense a most remarkable film . i at least be unable to name many other three hour long movie which i have not find slightly lengthy ( not to say boring ) at some stage . moreover hsia nu be the kind of film one definitely would want to watch on the big screen of a cinema and something rather rare as far a martial art film be concerned and generally rare for anything not an extremely expensive super production . it panoramic nature sequence have not only esthetic value and but be also symbolically relevant . in fact if one want to do this and it would be possible to interpret the whole movie a an allegory of human existence . fortunately there be really no need to get out the heavy gun of symbolism and artistic value to convince oneself that hsia nu be a great movie . it be grip and entertain and amuse and serious and and infuse with a pathos hardly ever encounter in european ( or american ) movie . pathos of course be something difficult to handle and but the director and cast of hsia nu manage it very well . the film have it deliberate light moment and but it never invite laughter at it moment of pathos . of course we be talk here about a martial art movie . and indeed and the fighting sequence be brilliantly do there definitely have be no progress since 1969 but there be not only that . there be in fact not all that much fighting if one consider that this be a three hour film and and the fight do not carry the plot . in some sense hsia nu resemble more a japanese samurai drama than what we more customarily associate with the hong kong and taiwan martial art genre . the plot be very long and complex though perfectly understandable and and even logical therefore i do not see any real interest in retell it here . suffice to say that it contain most principal human emotion represent loyalty and treason and love and revenge and hunger for happiness and for . enlightenment . the acting be brilliant and and especially a more masterly great master character and a monk in hsia nu and would indeed be difficult to find in any martial art movie . if anybody be not convince by the merit of the martial art genre and just want to give it a sole and unique chance and then this be the movie that might convince such a snob that cinematographic art be not necessarily grey and quiet and slow and but can be colourful and vibrant and full of pathos .