Coming on the heels of the first movie, Eye for an Eye 2 continues the saga of blind swordsman Cheng Yazi (Xie Miao), with this being a superior martial arts actioner that improves on almost everything that came before. This is one of those rare sequels that is superior to the original.
Cheng Yazi is even more detached than he was before, not allowing himself to become close to anyone. His icy exterior begins to thatch when he comes into contact with young orphan Zhang Xiaoyu (Yang Enyou) who is in need of being rescued as well as looking for some revenge. Cheng is apprehensive of getting involved and countless times throughout the film tries to distance himself from the youngster. However, due to the young orphan’s determination, Cheng ultimately becomes her lone protector.
Whilst the first Eye for an Eye was an enjoyable enough swordplay actioner, director Yang Bingjia has seriously upped his game. With improved production values and more elaborately choreographed action scenes, Bingjia has crafted a feature that has all the qualities one should look for in an action film.
One of my main issues with the first film was to do with the action scenes. While they were well choreographed, for the most part the fight scenes were disappointingly short. Even in the finale where Miao took on countless opponents, the fight seemed to be over much quicker than it should have been.
Bingjia has rectified that problem here, with all the fight scenes hitting the right notes, with the action playing like a mix of classic Wuxia and the Rurouni Kenshin films. It gives Xie Miao multiple opportunities to show off his martial arts skills, with the character’s blindness never getting in the way of him unleashing hell.
The main standouts for me are a frenetic fight scene that pits Miao against a husband and wife team of fugitives. The majority of the fight takes place in the confines of a small boat, with Miao using the surroundings to his advantage. The action is both swift and violent, with this fight being followed by several notable fight scenes peppered throughout.
Then there is the large-scale finale where Miao’s Cheng infiltrates the villains’ lair both to rescue Xiaoyu and put an end to her tormentor. Suspension of disbelief has to come into play in order to fully enjoy the fight, with Miao taking on what appears to be over 100 opponents. Even so, it is an excitingly violent set piece and shows both Miao and director Bingjia at the top of their game.
Considering Bingjia has only directed a handful of features, he has already proven his talent behind the camera. Bingjia has clearly recognized some of the issues with the first film and worked hard to rectify these. Sure, Eye for an Eye 2 isn’t groundbreaking, with the plot treading familiar ground. Still, the film is visually rich with authentic looking sets and costumes that betrays the film’s lower budget.
As well as being influenced by traditional Wuxia movies, Bingjia’s film is flavored with influences from Spaghetti Westerns and Jidaigeki which sets it apart from more traditional swordplay dramas. Coupled with some fine performances and excellent action scenes, Eye for an Eye 2 is a cinema quality feature that just so happens to be released to streaming.
Having a compelling leading man in Xie Miao is certainly one of the main factors that raises Eye for an Eye 2 above typical streaming fare. At this point in his career, Miao has already starred in countless DTV/streaming releases, and it’s a wonder why he isn’t starring in higher profile films. Whilst not all the low budget actioners he has appeared in have the same quality as shown here, he always gives the films his all.
Cheng Yazi is one of his better roles, with it not only allowing him to show off his physical skills but get to put in an actual performance. While Cheng’s detachment from society makes the character appear cold to begin with, Miao gets enough of an opportunity to show off the character’s emotional side as Cheng begins to warm to Xiaoyu.
Speaking of Xiaoyu, young Yang En You does extremely well in her portrayal of the character. Unlike the recently released Polar Rescue (2022) which featured the typical annoying child characters, Xiaoyu comes across as both relatable and likeable during the film.
The relationship that builds between Xiaoyu and Miao’s Cheng is the true backbone of the film, with the youngster making it completely convincing why Cheng would ultimately put his life on the line for her. There is even a callback to one of Miao’s earlier movies during the finale, where his character Cheng throws Xiaoyu around on a rope to take down their opponents, just as Jet Li had done to him all those years ago in My Father is a Hero (1995).
One slight drawback of the film is the one note bad guys, who are almost cartoonish in their villainy. While they still manage to put Cheng through the ringer, they aren’t exactly what you would consider well rounded. Even with this slight drawback, it isn’t a deal breaker as it allows for more focus to be put upon Cheng and Xiaoyu’s relationship.
Eye for an Eye 2 comes wholeheartedly recommended. Although I would suggest watching the first film beforehand it isn’t imperative. For the most part this sequel is its own tale, with only some minor callbacks to what came before. I would say that the sequel tells a more tragic tale than its predecessor, with it never being clear during the film if our leads will live to see a better tomorrow. This is one film that won’t disappoint martial arts fans. Like the first film, it’s another quality acquisition for Well Go USA and just adds to their already impressive catalogue of action movies.
Any fans of Xie Miao should also keep an eye out for his upcoming actioner The Furious which is coming courtesy of the legendary Kenji Tanigaki. Coming hot on the heels of his excellent work on Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In (2024), The Furious finds Tanigaki sitting in the director’s seat, with Xie Miao in the lead role. It’s already shaping up to be a cracker, for as well as starring Miao it features a multicultural cast of martial arts stars, filled by the likes of Joe Taslin, Jeeja Yanin, Yayan Ruhian and Brian Le.
Plot: 3.5/5
Acting: 4/5
Action: 4/5
Overall: 3.8/5
