It’s important to go into A Touch of Zen knowing that it’s quite a commitment. First off, the movie as it exists now was originally made in two parts, and runs three hours. Then, keep in mind this isn’t a 1990s Hong Kong martial arts movie. It’s not fast paced, and the action is separated by long sections of dialogue or long nature shots. However, all of the fights in this classic were supremely choreographed by celebrated actor and fight coordinator Han Yingjie, who also worked with King Hu on earlier martial arts hit Dragon Inn.
A Touch of Zen was filmed in Taiwan, mostly in mountainous areas and forests. It’s a very artistic and introspective movie, with extended sections dedicated to nature, landscapes, and other scenes that seemingly have little to do with the story. If you want high octane action, this may not be your movie.
But if you’re a fan of masterful techniques of photography and realistic martial arts and swordplay, A Touch of Zen is definitely for you. Although interspersed, there’s plenty of action in addition to character building, but very little in the way of fancy wirework. King Hu preferred using trampolines to wires and also tended to portray martial arts in a more subdued way compared to many of his contemporaries.