The Legend of the Shadowless Sword (2005)

68% of users liked it
(2,031 ratings)

The year is 927. After the prince of Balhae was assassinated, Lim, a former official, sends Yeon So-ha, a female warrior to escort Prince Dae Jeong-hyun from his 14-year exile back to Balhae, where he would ascend to the throne and restore order to the kingdom. The pair, however, find the journey to… More The year is 927. After the prince of Balhae was assassinated, Lim, a former official, sends Yeon So-ha, a female warrior to escort Prince Dae Jeong-hyun from his 14-year exile back to Balhae, where he would ascend to the throne and restore order to the kingdom. The pair, however, find the journey to Balhae a perilous one. In this epic struggle of good and evil, the fate of a nation hangs in balance.

Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 24 min.
Directed By: Young-jun Kim, Kim Young-jun
Genres: Art House & International, Action & Adventure

In Theaters: Nov 18, 2005 Wide
On DVD: Aug 12, 2008

Critic Reviews

Felix Vasquez Jr., Cinema Crazed
We're just given a pastiche of stories and devices we've seen done a million times over and with a better result...
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
...enough swordplay and special effects to keep fans occupied. It's just that if you're not a die-hard devotee of the form, it can seem like the same old, tired thing.
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
...beyond the scenery, costumes, and landscapes, there isn't much more than the sword fighting, and that gets old fast.

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Featured Audience Ratings

xGary X

When an invading army assassinates the entire royal family of Balhae, a lone warrior is dispatched to locate an exiled prince and bring him back to unite the country and repel the invaders. Shadowless Sword's trailer was undoubtedly cut to attract the Hero/Crouching Tiger fan… More
When an invading army assassinates the entire royal family of Balhae, a lone warrior is dispatched to locate an exiled prince and bring him back to unite the country and repel the invaders. Shadowless Sword's trailer was undoubtedly cut to attract the Hero/Crouching Tiger fan base, but really it has a lot more in common with the high octane swords and sorcery flicks of Tsui Hark and Sammo Hung from the late 80s and early 90s. Everyone with a sword has super powers, people fly around and the scenery (and combatants!) explode on cue and its all very, very silly. The script is really just a series of excuses for fights while the two heroes get all doe eyed over each other and the dialogue is dreadful. Not to mention the fact that the entire supporting cast seem to be doing bad impersonations of Jack Sparrow. But having said all that, it does get one important ingredient right; it doesn't take itself too seriously. The action occasionally crosses the line into absurdity (the scene underwater being the worse example) but as a whole the fight sequences are fun, the girls are pretty and the guys dashing. It's no Hidden Fortress, but as long as you're not expecting high art, it's an amusing distraction.
Lanning :

A period Korean martial arts film, this is a nice attempt at contributing to the flashy sword-play genre that I've known all my life to come streaming non-stop out of Asia. It's not a great film for story, but it's also not a case where the flashy sword-play completely… More
A period Korean martial arts film, this is a nice attempt at contributing to the flashy sword-play genre that I've known all my life to come streaming non-stop out of Asia. It's not a great film for story, but it's also not a case where the flashy sword-play completely overrides the substance and story of the film. And it is Korean after all, so it's definitely worth a viewing : ) <p>I was especially taken with the movement of energy exhibited by some of the fighters. I've seen more and more of that in real life as I grow old, and I'm always curious about how realistically the ability to channel and manipulate qi/chi/ki is portrayed in films.
Lewis C

The Legend of the Shadowless Sword isn't as mesmerizing or as ambitious as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon or Hero, but it doesn't attempt to be. It's a much more workman-like martial arts movie. The story isn't as interesting and the imagery isn't as… More
The Legend of the Shadowless Sword isn't as mesmerizing or as ambitious as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon or Hero, but it doesn't attempt to be. It's a much more workman-like martial arts movie. The story isn't as interesting and the imagery isn't as eye-catching, but this fairly simple tale offers good, wire-based fight scenes and a couple of likeable protagonists. As long as you keep your expectations at a manageable level, you'll enjoy Shadowless Sword.
EightThirty .

MUST SEE FILM
Justin Y

This is a Korean movie that takes a nice stab at creating a "Wuxia" action type of movie. The story is pretty good and there is a good amount of characters. As far as the action goes, there is a bunch. They range from rooftop hopping, like <i>Crouching Tiger Hidden… More
This is a Korean movie that takes a nice stab at creating a "Wuxia" action type of movie. The story is pretty good and there is a good amount of characters. As far as the action goes, there is a bunch. They range from rooftop hopping, like <i>Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon</i> to underwater martial arts. Then there is everything else in between. 1-on-1, 1-on-5, you name it. The choreography is well done, but the editing does take away from some of them. If your a fan of Chinese "Wuxia" movies you may want to consider watching this movie.
Dean M

Amazing South Korean swordplay fight sequences I ever saw at the first time since Hong Kong's epic movies.
Marion R

It didn't really make a whole lot of sense, but pretty entertaining none the less. Nice fighting sequences and good special effects. The direction and story were nice, and I wish that they explained certain things out. Overall it a nice popcorn watch with a bunch of friends.