Before Ethan Ruan went off to enlist in Taiwan’s mandatory service, he filmed a big-budgeted wuxia movie that will shortly be released. The Guillotines is based on a Qing dynasty urban legend weapon called the Xue Di Zi that supposedly could sever a head from its body from a thousand steps away. In wuxia lore this mythical weapon was never fully described and has since been conjured to resemble both a net with knives inside or a sharp-edged boomerang. Ethan plays the leader of a government trained group of assassins wielding this legendary weapon to help rid the Qing dynasty of its enemies covertly. This operation was started by Emperor Yongzhing but by the time his son Emperor Qianlong took over, he wanted to eliminate this task force to avoid future scrutiny of its cruel tactics. In the movie, Ethan leads his band of merry guillotine warriors to oust the rebel leader Sky Wolf played by Huang Xiaoming, only to realize it might be a set up mission where Emperor Qianlong wants to get rid of both groups at the same time. Huang Xiaoming is no stranger to period dramas but this will be Ethan’s first period role and I’m looking forward to how he fares. The movie will be released around Christmas time and since the Taiwan military service has been shortened in recent years, Ethan should be discharged shortly thereafter in the beginning of next year. Check out the action-packed trailer below and get ready for The Guillotines plus a flew of action wuxia movies to hit the big screen by the end of the year.
Trailer for The Guillotines:
Wow, an Adrew Lau movie!!! I wa spretty much of a fan of his movies until recent years. But this looks promising. I like it how he tends to make action movies more of an emotional thing than other directors. Beside two hit dudes are there, wow, it is just eye candy oure. And did I see Shawn Yue? That makes it three, one fromTW, one from Mainland and one from HK, I guess there is one for every taste hahaha…..seems really nice, I’ll make sure toc heck it out when the time comes 😀
Looks too good. Can’t wait for it to hit one of my go-to sites for movie releases….
Looking forward to this one! Most of HXM’s movies have been disappointing so far — at least this one looks exciting, lol. Also an’t wait for Ethan to come back from military service. n_n
*can’t wait
I watched an old Shaw Brother movie called The Guillotines it was pretty good. My father is a major Shaw Brother “FAN” around Thanksgiving he take the movies out and watch them all day!…LOL I brought him Crouching Tiger and Iron Monkey to for Christmas a few years back and till this day he said it’s not like “Shaw Brothers” but yet he re watch them right alone with Five deadly Venoms, The Man with the Golden arms, The Prince of Sholin ETC…..