Fridae

Set in classical times, this manga-ish Hong Kong animation tells the story of a young man whose sword-making parents are killed by an insecure emperor who believes that they were part of a conspiracy to overthrow him. His parents leave him an unfinished sword that requires the blood of Fire Kirin in order to unleash its true powers. Unfortunately, Fire Kirin has already been killed...

Directed by Dante Lam (Beast Cop, The Twins Effect), the animation style is passable but the story isn't. The filmmakers seem to forget that "story is king" and that endless swordplays involving beautiful men with long hair and sculpted bodies do get tiring after a while.

In the final analysis, Storm Riders: Clash of Evils tells a story that's no different than any of the other wuxia stories that we've grown accustomed to. Yawn...