BLIND WAR – Review

By Mark Glass | June 10, 2024

In BLIND WAR (originally MANG ZHAN) China gives us a high-octane action flick in a contemporary crime setting. The plot is fairly common, yet the execution of it packs plenty of punch… and punches. The stunt work is the production’s biggest asset, and the best reason to watch it.

A well-organized, heavily-armed crew massacres a whole lotta people in and around a courthouse, ostensibly to spring the crime boss who is on trial. The man and woman (Jane Wu) leading the assault pull a double cross during the mayhem. Our heroic police officer (Andy On) takes the initiative, killing a slew of the bad guys (including the husband of the evil duo), capturing the wife, and saving many lives. But a bunch of the casualties are cops, and someone has to be scapegoated. So the brass quite unfairly blames him for the body count. He’s particularly expendable since he was blinded in the fray, ending his career on the force.

On goes through a self-destructive period of rage and guilt before his teen daughter spurs him to start on rebuilding a life. Jane Wu, who manically swore revenge in the courtroom, escapes from prison, beginning a chessboard full of vengeance plots. She’s after ex-cop On, hell-bent on making him suffer, rather than go for a quick kill. The son of the betrayed capo is after her with a large gang under his command. But she’s cunning and skilled enough to pursue one while evading the other via a complicated set of strategies. When On’s daughter is kidnapped by a sadistic sex trafficker, he does whatever is needed to rescue her, including running afoul of another city’s cops who mistakenly assume he’s part of the problem, rather than the solution. And just for a kicker, we’re never sure which cops are on the take.

China has a long tradition dating back to the Hong Kong “chopsocky” factories cranking out hundreds of genre films throughout the 1970s – 80s of blind (or otherwise impaired) heroes developing compensatory senses and skills to overcome superior forces, despite their disadvantage. But when the action is this relentless, with such excellent choreography, it’s easier to suspend the necessary chunk of disbelief for the desired entertainment level. Credit for that goes to director Huo Suiqiang, and whoever designed and oversaw the stunt work for the array of elaborate fights and shootouts.  

Performances are competent for a wide range of personalities and actions. On does well as the taciturn protagonist, including maintaining the illusion of his character’s blindness. Foxy Jane Wu is particularly compelling, reveling in the full-blown glee of her psychopathy with a high intellect and exceptional fighting skills. It’s another case of the villain role having more impact than the hero’s, and probably more fun for the actor to portray.

The Martial Arts Action Thriller Lands on Digital & Blu-ray^™ June 11.

BLIND WAR has a runtime of approximately 108 minutes and is not rated.

2.5 Out Of 4 Stars