14 Blades (2010) Biography, Plot, Box office, Trailer

14 Blades (2010)

14 Blades is a 2010 wuxia film directed by Daniel Lee and starring Donnie Yen, Zhao Wei, Sammo Hung, Wu Chun, Kate Tsui, Qi Yuwu and Damian Lau. The film was released on 4 February 2010 in China and on 11 February 2010 in Hong Kong.

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Plot.

During the late Ming dynasty, the imperial court is plagued by corruption and the reigning emperor is incompetent. The Embroidered Uniform Guard (jinyiwei) consists of orphans trained in cruel, clandestine combat since childhood and they serve as the Ming government’s secret service. Qinglong, a jinyiwei commander, is given a mechanical box of 14 blades to help him in his duties. Jia Jingzhong, an imperial eunuch close to the emperor, secretly plots a rebellion with the emperor’s uncle, Prince Qing, who has been exiled after an unsuccessful rebellion. Jia Jingzhong orders Qinglong to retrieve a safe box in the possession of the imperial councillor, Zhao Shenyang, whom he accuses of planning a revolt; Qinglong is told that the box contains proof of the councillor’s treason. However, Qinglong soon discovers that the box actually contains the Imperial Seal, a symbol of the emperor’s authority, which Jia Jingzhong needs to legitimise Prince Qing’s authority.

Qinglong is betrayed by his fellow jinyiwei and his brother-in-arms, Xuanwu, who has secretly pledged allegiance to Jia Jingzhong. Prince Qing’s adoptive daughter, Tuo-Tuo, a deadly warrior, arrives to lend her assistance on receiving news of Qinglong’s escape. Qinglong, now a fugitive and unable to leave the city until his wounds heal, finds his way to the Justice Security Service, a private security company whose fortunes are dwindling. The owner eagerly accepts Qinglong’s offer to pay him handsomely for safe passage in hopes of revitalising his business. By coincidence, the owner’s daughter, Qiao Hua, is engaged to be married, and the security service hides Qinglong within her wedding carriage as a means of getting past the checkpoints and leaving the city. When another group of jinyiwei arrives to arrest Qinglong, he fights and kills them but unknowingly reveals his identity as a former jinyiwei himself.

Fearing more trouble than they bargained for, the owner offers to return Qinglong’s money and asks to be left in peace. However, Qinglong is determined to fulfil his duty to the emperor so he takes Qiao Hua as a hostage. The pair arrive at Yanmen Pass, where Qinglong hopes to gather information. He discovers that his enemies intend to sell three provinces to fund their cause. While Qinglong investigates and plots his next move, the duo encounters the Heaven’s Eagles Gang, a group of bandits led by the self-proclaimed “Judge of the Desert”. The leader is a strong warrior who fights Qinglong, proving that they are evenly matched. Qinglong proposes an alliance to raid the outpost at Yanmen Pass; the gang will get their full cut of the booty while Qinglong gets to satisfy his personal objectives.

Release, Box office.

14 Blades premiered in China and Singapore on 4 February 2010 and in Hong Kong on 11 February. The film premiered at the seventh place in the Hong Kong box office, grossing US$317,975 in its first week. It grossed a total of US$984,711 at the Hong Kong box office. The film was successful in Singapore where it was first in the box office on its second week, grossing a total of US$1,126,692 on its theatrical run. The film grossed a total of US$3,676,875 worldwide.