The East is Red (1992)

"Invincible Asia" has attained supernatural abilities and gender ambiguity. But in these turbulent times (the fifteenth century?) there are many foreign powers seeking to invade China, and many false Invincible Asias, trying to assert power over gullible followers.

I hope that summarises the plot adequately; there's plenty of Kung Fu action and the special effects are fun.

The real Invincible Asia is played by Brigitte Lin, a rare female in the Hong Kong action movie scene with over a hundred films to her credit.

As well as the assumption of alternative genders by Invincible Asia, there is a sequence where a Japanese spy infiltrates the camp and tries to seduce Asia; the spy is a male presenting as an exceptionally convincing woman, and Asia is in a male persona at the time. The deception comes to an abrupt end when the spy announces that it isn't convenient for him to have sex (as a woman) at the moment; he obviously hadn't thought the cover story through to its logical conclusion.

There are several alternative titles:

Dong fang bu bai 2: feng yun zai qi
China Swordsman 2
Invincible Asia 2: Turbulence Again Rises
Swordsman III (1992), and
Swordsman III: East Is Red (1992)

HF April 2002

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