Role reversal in Storm Warriors

Cloud is the cool hero in Storm Warriors, while Wind is doomed to go down the path of damnation.

Snow billowed around the two warriors as they began their battle to the death. The first fighter, a dashing long-haired man with an eye-patch, launched a flurry of attacks with his curved sabre, as his stockier but more muscular armour-clad opponent struggled to fend him off with a unique yet sinister-looking black sword.

Then, with a mighty swing of his sabre, the long-haired fighter landed a blow on his opponent’s head, and the muscular warrior went down.

But instead of finishing him off with one final stroke, the long-haired warrior threw down his weapon, and rushed to his fellow warrior’s side in apparent concern.

Almost immediately, someone yelled “Cut!” and with the magic of the moment dispelled, the majestic battle scene was reduced to an emergency situation with Aaron Kwok on his knees clutching his head in pain, while a concerned Ekin Cheng fussed over him.

Welcome to the set of Storm Warriors, the second movie based on the bestselling, long-running Hong Kong comic book series Fung Wan (Wind and Cloud), by Ma Wing Shing. The movie is currently being filmed in Bangkok.

It has been 10 years since Cheng and Kwok played the titular characters Nip Fung (Wind) and Bou Keng Wan (Cloud) respectively in the well-received Andrew Lau-directed Storm Riders, which topped the Hong Kong box office with HK$41mil back in 1998.

This time around, the duo will reprise their roles under the direction of Oxide and Danny Pang, the dynamic team behind The Eye franchise (which got Angelica Lee Sinjie her best actress award, and spawned two sequels and a Hollywood remake), and hit Thai crime thriller Bangkok Dangerous. The Hong Kong-born twin brothers are based in Thailand.

Scheduled for release next year, Storm Warriors will be based on one of the most classic and popular story arcs in the comic series – the Death Battle – that features an all-out fight to the end between the two main protagonists.

What is interesting this time is that the story features a complete role reversal for the two characters. Where the first film pitted a pensive and calm Wind against a moody, rage-filled Cloud hell-bent on revenge against his master Hong Ba, this time it is Cloud who has to stop Wind from heading down the path of no return, and becoming a “demon”.

Besides the anticipated showdown between Wind and Cloud, the story also includes a new villain, Lord Godless (Simon Yam), and an introduction to one of the comic’s longest-living villains – Heart (Nicholas Tse).

According to Danny, they chose to film this particular story arc because it is one of the highlights of the entire comic series.

“The Death Battle story arc is one of the most interesting and popular in Fung Wan. Even fans of the comic agree that this part of the series is the best,” he said.

“We wanted to be true to the comic book and show respect for the creator, so we followed the original story as faithfully as we could. We didn’t change it much; 90% of it is exactly the same.”

Drawing inspiration from the success of the 2007 Hollywood adaptation of Frank Miller’s 300 graphic novel, the 43-year-old Pang brothers have gone for a similar approach with Storm Warriors, making it the first Hong Kong movie filmed exclusively on blue screen and custom-made sets in Bangkok.

“We use a lot of blue screen effects here, just like 300. But we didn’t want to shoot with just blue screens the entire time, because the result probably wouldn’t be very good and it would be a waste of money. That’s why we built some of the sets,” said Danny.

Indeed, the brothers have built some impressive sets for the movie to complement the special effects, thanks largely to the HK$100mil (RM44mil) that Universe Entertainment has invested in the movie.

One of the completed sets we managed to sneak a peek at came complete with realistic-looking trees, rocks, and even had a little creek bubbling underneath it.

Oxide, the older of the twins by 15 minutes, stressed that despite all the CGI, the movie will be very different from its equally effects-laden predecessor. “Ten years ago, the special effects (in Storm Riders) were ground-breaking stuff, but this time around, the special effects are a lot better,” he explained.

“We decided to make it more realistic-looking, and less like a comic book, but you will instantly know that it is a movie made out of a comic book just by looking at the background.”

Nevertheless, it would all have been for nought if they had cast the wrong actors to play the titular characters. Thankfully for the brothers, that decision was a fairly simple one. After all, Cheng and Kwok had owned the roles in the last movie.

“There was no doubt at all – it had to be Ekin and Aaron. We were a little worried at first that they might be too old, but surprisingly, their appearance has not changed at all (in these 10 years),” said Danny.

True enough, Cheng and Kwok may not be as baby-faced as they used to be, but even then it’s hard to disagree that they are still the best guys for the roles, especially when one sees them in their respective costumes.

Though it’s been 10 years since he last donned Cloud’s flowing cape, Kwok was ecstatic to be back in the role. “Cloud is a very complex character, and people will see a more developed version of him here. He is more mature this time, and more ‘human’ too. You see him as a real human character, not just a comic character,” he said.

“Ten years ago, the story was mostly about the origin of the characters, with the two blood brothers fighting for the girl, and fighting Hong Ba.

“This time the characters are completely different. In fact, our two characters’ personalities are now reversed. Cloud has to let go of his evil qi (energy) to learn a new sword technique and save Nip Fung who is possessed by demons and becomes evil.”

Kwok signed up for the film despite knowing how difficult the shoot would be. He also had to beef up to play the muscular Cloud.

“I knew it would be tough because the costumes are hot, and the props are heavy. I haven’t done this sort of (action) film in years,” he said.

“Thankfully, lately I have been keeping in shape for my concerts. Even then, I was too skinny, so I had to train every day, pumping iron to put on more muscle.”

Sporting long hair extensions and looking rather sinister with his eye-patch, Cheng was equally excited to be back making a Fung Wan movie.

“I’ve always liked the character, especially when I was reading the comics. I had wanted to make a Fung Wan movie even before Storm Riders was made. I never thought I would be able to do it again 10 years later!” he said, adding that he looked forward to being the villain this time around.

Happy to be reunited with Cheng, Kwok reckons that the two of them have grown up and are wiser now.

“We are more passionate about film-making now and have put in a lot of hard work too. Our personalities have not changed much in these 10 years, and we are still young at heart!” he quipped.

While Kwok and Cheng are the only returning cast members from the first movie, Storm Warriors is not short of stars either. Besides Simon Yam as main villain Lord Godless, and Nicholas Tse as secondary villain Heart, Storm Warriors will also feature Charlene Choi from pop duo Twins as Wind’s love interest, Second Dream.

Newcomer Tiffany Tong from mainland China will play Cloud’s love interest, Chu Chu, a role previously played by Shu Qi.