Despite the oft-corny dialogue and the overused Shakespearean premise, The Bride with White Hair, even more than 10 years later, is a proven wu-xia classic that viewers will follow all the way through, stiff with anticipation, to witness the fate of the characters.
The story takes place when a war between an eight-clan alliance and an evil cult (that was cast out of said alliance) fiercely begins. Lien (Brigitte Lin) and Cho (Leslie Cheung), two lovers and opposing champion warriors of their clans, are caught in the middle of this chaos and forced to choose between their newfound love and their duties.
This conflict turns our two main characters into the strongest elements of the film. The narrative is paced and structured well, depicting the tight-knit relationships both protags have with their clans, which makes their choices understandably difficult. Flashbacks of Cho’s childhood form a fluid connection to events later in his adult life, and his passion for Lien is clearly demonstrated between Leslie Cheung’s fine acting and an appropriate amount of time devoted to his character’s development. The film’s most salient problem is the surprising absence of Lien falling in love with Cho. Her character is not really explored until later in the film, and there is little explanation for her feelings.
At first, this hole is crucial because their love is the crux on which they make all their difficult decisions. Without that foundation, the relationship starts out weaker than it should rightfully be. However, the film is saved because both characters are so likeable that when trouble comes along to threaten their happiness and forbid them a moment’s rest, it becomes easy to jump on their side.
From that point onwards, there is never another misstep. Leslie Cheung and Brigitte Lin embody their roles perfectly, finding both the cold, disciplined warrior and the ardent lover within themselves. Cheung, emotionally torn, manages to simultaneously arouse the viewer’s love and hate, while Lin’s tough girl persona with a side of melancholy is captivating. Despite the underlying fear that this is another Brigitte Lin role where she suddenly reveals herself to be a man, it’s impossible not to fall in love with her as she struggles to change her ways all for Cho’s sake.
The film’s visual style is also handled beautifully with blurry action shot composition to enhance the fantasy mood, while slower scenes are given their worth through a precise wistful atmosphere. How a film with wild, eccentric action and over-the-top, melodramatic make-out montages can get away with it is anyone’s guess, but Bride does not disappoint. It feels perfect without a sequel (despite inevitably getting one) and walks the thin line of fantasy wu-xia with a distinctively weird story and setting, but not to the point of alienating absurdity in A Chinese Ghost Story.
Reviewed by Tarun
