A dose of 21st century attitude mixes nicely with other winning ingredients in “Kingdom,” a thoroughly entertaining adaptation of Yasuhisa Hara’s hugely popular manga set in China, 245 B.C. Centere…
, “River’s Edge”). As youngsters the duo were sold as slaves to Riten , a cruel farmer. According to the boisterous Xin their only shot at freedom and fame lies in practicing swordplay at every available moment, thus preparing themselves for glorious futures as military commanders.
The mystery surrounding Piao’s recruitment is answered when he staggers home mortally wounded and lives long enough to tell Xin he was felled by an assassin after being hired as a double for Ying Zheng . The king has been overthrown in a coup led by his wicked half-brother, Cheng Jiao , and it’s Piao’s dying wish that Xin save the ousted royal.
Eventually the duo find common ground and are joined by allies including Diao , a cheeky, money-obsessed young woman who wears an owl suit and belongs to the Mountain Tribe. This charming oddball leads her new friends to tribal boss Yang Duanhe , a hulking figure dressed in a huge cloak and scary mask who speaks with a menacing, Darth Vader-like voice.
Just as negotiations stall and the visitors appear in danger of being executed Xin steps forward and addresses Yang Duanhe with, “Hey, you in the boss mask.” The lad’s brashness and heartfelt speech about unity and respect inspire the fearsome leader to bury the hatchet and join the cause. The splendid exclamation mark on the sequence arrives when Yang Duanhe removes cloak and mask to reveal the sleek, charismatic and super-skilled female warrior beneath.
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