The events in this story happen in the year 1457, during the reign of Ming dynasty wherein the imperial Eunuchs, under the control of Cao (Bai Ying) wage war against anyone who poses a threat to them. As he takes the life of a general, he also orders the killings of the general’s two sons who were meant to be exiled away from China, but before that could happen, these children were able to be saved by a few soldiers who sustained decent amounts of force and fled into the mountains. To guarantee the assassination angle at the border the Dragon Sword guards brought the children and some soldiers were waiting in the inn. Understanding the plan as there was a trap set around starting from the Chinese border to the Dragon Gate.
When Xiao (Shih Chun), a scholar who is unknown to politics as well as two siblings who require a place to sleep for the night reach the inn, the soldiers sent by the Eunuchs realize they must fight not one but three well skilled fighters. They are only offered a warm welcome when they try to kill the children, as these children were receiving aid and protection from the brothers and clearly did intend to help them.
It’s safe to say that King Hu’s films come to mind when one thinks of the wuxia genre, considering the combination of intricate settings, interesting characters and well choreographed fight scenes in them. In the case of “Dragon Inn”, much like in Hu’s earlier work “Come Drink With Me”, the inn itself is crucial to the plot as such, as it provides a venue for the character’s conflicts, while at the same time encapsulates a much larger theme. In that scenario Xiao and the other characters are basically a counter-attack to the hierarchy of blood and oppression that has emerged. I recall that on one side the situation was somewhat restricted, the two different plots and their various hidden aspects allowed ample space for the invaders to form their plans and later strike. The set, together with these elements, serves as a constant reminder of the genre’s theatrical roots, and perhaps even bears witness to the director’s own history as a set decorator and art designer.
Also noteworthy are the great performances delivered by Lingfeng Shangguan as Ms. Chu and Chun Shih as Xiao with these two gracing some of the best moments of the movie from the looks of it. While the latter has some great memorable moments of his own, such as outsmarting and then fending off various attackers with a sword and through psychology, Shangguans character probably has the most impressive action scenes, for example her entrance to the inn while engaging many of the eunuchs soldiers. Her acting, along with everything else, in terms of Hui-Ying Hua’s cinematography and Hung-Min Chen’s editing, is simply exceptional.
In conclusion, “Dragon Inn” is a very good contribution to the wuxia genre, and even more so after the latest restoration. King Hu backs up his claims with supporting evidence in this case, and much depends on the actors’ performances which are framed by the background, set design, and such things as editing and cinematography.
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