The Lady Assassin – 88 Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Hong Kong, 1983
Director: Chin-Ku Lu
Writer: Chin-Ku Lu
Cast: Tony Liu, Norman Chui, Jason Pai Piao, Ku Feng, Leanne Liu, Max Mok Siu-Chung, Ching Miao, Cheung King-Yu, Yeung Jing-Jing, Yuen Tak, Kwan Fung, Johnny Wang Lung-Wei, Sun Chien

Release Date: February 24th, 2025 (UK), February 25th, 2025 (USA)
Approximate Running Time: 90 Minutes 33 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVCC
Rating: 15 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: LPCM Mono Cantonese
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A,B
Retail Price: £16.99 (UK), $34.95 (USA)

"From Hong Kong's legendary Shaw Brothers studio comes a blood-drenched story of ninjas, eunuchs and dark palace intrigue: the old emperor is on his last legs, and his most ambitious and amoral son plots to cheat his way to the throne. But taking power is the easy bit. Staying on top will prove much more difficult..." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "High Definition Blu-ray Presentation (1080p) In 2.35:1 Aspect Ratio."

The Lady Assassin comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 26.7 GB

Feature: 21 GB

The source looks excellent; flesh tones look correct, colors are nicely saturated, image clarity and black levels are strong, compression is solid and there are no issues with digital noise reduction. 

Audio: 4.25/5

This release comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in Cantonese with removable English subtitles. The audio sounds clean, clear, balanced, and robust when it should.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a stills gallery (21 images), digital reissue trailer (1 minute 17 seconds, LPCM stereo Cantonese with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with Poon Kin-Kwan titled From Child Actor to Fight Coordinator (23 minutes 50 seconds, LPCM stereo Cantonese with removable English subtitles), reversible cover art, double sided poster (limited to the first pressing), and an O-Ring slipcase (limited to the first pressing).

Summary:

Chin-Ku Lu directed the film To Kill a Mastermind. His other notable films are The Master, Holy Flame of the Martial World, Bastard Swordsman, Return of the Bastard Swordsman, and Holy Virgin vs. The Evil Dead.

When the 4th prince learns that his father has chosen his brother, the 14th prince, to be his successor, he sets in motion a plan to take the throne from his brother.

The Lady Assassin's story is rooted in treachery. A character's lust for power leads them to scheme their way into power. When it becomes clear that they cannot simply kill the heir to the throne, they form temporary alliances that bring them close to their goal. Once he assumes the throne, the only thing that can stop him is the bodyguard of the 14th prince, who was supposed to be the heir to the throne.

Though the premise covers familiar ground, the result is a film that always holds your attention. The well-executed narrative does a superb job building momentum, and there are ample well-timed twists. The first half moves faster than the latter half, with everything culminating in a bloody finale.

All around, the performances are great, especially Norman Chui’s (The Sword) portrayal of the 14th prince's bodyguard. His character is a skilled swordsman who is unrivaled, and he is a man of honor who cannot be persuaded to betray the man he’s sworn to protect. Another performance of note is Leanne Liu’s (Opium and the Kung-Fu Master) portrayal of Lui Si Niang, the daughter of a rebel leader. Lui Si Niang has exceptional sword fighting skills, and she is just as deadly as her male counterparts.

When it comes to martial arts cinema, the main draw is the action sequences, and in this area, The Lady Assassin always delivers. That said, though the action comes fast and furious, there is a sufficient amount of time devoted to exposition. There is not much in the way of hand-to-hand combat; most of the fight sequences are swordplay.

The Shaw Brothers were only a few years away from drastically reducing their output by the time they made The Lady Assassin. Despite the ever-changing landscape of martial arts cinema in the 1980s, the Shaw Brothers continued to make a kind of martial arts film that was now considered old-fashioned. That said, The Lady Assassin is a solid example of the type of martial arts films that The Shaw Brothers were known for.

The Lady Assassin gets a first-date release from 88 Films that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and an informative interview, recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer