Law Wing-Cheong, a production partner of Johnnie To, steps out from his usual realm of hard-boiled and quirky crime pictures with 2013's The Wrath of Vajra, which has recently been released on North American home video by Well Go USA. There are some flashes of fine martial arts film-making, but unfortunately, the road to get there is a bit of a cinematic slog.

The movie takes a very fictionalized view of the Japanese occupation of China in the 1930s. The Japanese believe they need to crush the spirits of the Chinese, so a "death cult" named Hades is put into action, with the intent being to kidnap Chinese children, teach them Japanese martial arts, and then have the kids become killing machines.

Or something like that. For as long as the film is and how much time is spent on the story, it never seems to make all that much sense, or, for that matter, be all that interesting. The matters aren't helped by the obvious jingoistic overtones and the wooden acting on display. Any showings of true emotion are few and far between.

When the action does come onscreen, it's actually pretty good, though a little camera trick happy. Star Xing Yu has been a bit player for years, with supporting roles in films such as Ip Man, and looks like he may be able to ascend to the next level -- at least, if he can find a production that has a decent script to work with.

RATING: 5