Film Name: 风云之雄霸天下 / The Storm Riders / The Stormriders / 風雲雄霸天下
With immense excitement, I went to see Storm Riders 2, only to have the eternal truth of this world reaffirmed: the sequel to any movie is never as good as the original. To put it simply, once a movie gets a sequel, it becomes inextricably tied to money and commercialism. This world is so brutally honest: any art tied to money, beyond pure commerce, inevitably becomes vulgar and repulsive.
In 1998, Storm Riders 1 dazzled us with its rare computer-generated effects and thrilling plot twists. Even a decade later, upon revisiting this film, its production quality remains remarkably polished.
Yang Gongru’s portrayal of Kong Ci once again left me, as a woman myself, in awe—truly a vision of beauty.
That said, every single performance in this film was spot-on. First, the supporting cast: Wu Yongwei’s Yan Ying radiates an innate, irresistible allure that leaves men utterly captivated. Yet she surprised me slightly—based on my understanding of Yan Ying’s character, she should have sought another man to satisfy her desires, rather than apologizing to Nie Feng before committing suicide with Shan. Then there’s the on-screen couple Xu Jinglei and Wang Zhiwen as Feng Wu and Long Xiu. It’s rare to see Xu Jinglei portray such a fiery woman on screen. As for Wang Zhiwen, this is my first time seeing him in period attire. Next, Bu Qingtian’s physique is truly imposing. I only recognized Xu Jinjiang, Anthony Wong, and Vincent Fang during this viewing.
The lead actors need no introduction. As my classmate, a fan of the Fengyun comics, once said: Ekin Cheng was the perfect choice for Nie Feng. Ten years ago, when Ekin still had that physique and Guo Jingming’s skin was still so supple, they wisely took on this film. I believe it will remain a rare gem among wuxia films for decades to come. My favorite shot is of Ekin Cheng clad in a black robe, cinched at the waist with a white sash, standing with his back to the audience. It leaves you in awe—if only all men had physiques like that. As for Aaron Kwok, given his character’s nature, the scene that stands out most vividly is his passionate love scene. It was perfectly executed—no gratuitous shots, yet brimming with romanticism and an anime-like quality. Additionally, the casting of Xiong Ba was absolutely perfect. He instantly radiates the aura of a formidable master, exceptionally skilled.
Lastly, I must praise my favorite character, Wen Chou Chou. That tiny fan perfectly accentuates his affected mannerisms and affectedness. He always walks with a swaying gait, perpetually dressed in white.
I hear the actor playing Qin Shuang is quite popular now—I think I’ve seen him in a TVB drama too. What a star-studded cast! It carried so many of our childhood dreams.
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