‘Broken Oath’ Blu-Ray Review – Angela Mao Serves Up An Ice Cold Slice Of Revenge

A Hong Kong take on Japan’s Lady Snowblood, Broken Oath is an action-packed tale of righteous vengeance directed by Jeong Chang-hwa (King Boxer) and starring the first lady of kung fu cinema: the inimitable Angela Mao!

Orphaned and angry, Lotus (Mao) is raised by Buddhist nuns before she is exiled for her violent ways – and skipping classes to improve her martial arts skills. Finding herself alone in the world, she quickly comes to discover the truth of her past: that her father was once a respected member of the Imperial Court who was murdered in cold blood, and that her mother gave birth to her in a jail cell after being unjustly imprisoned for killing one of the culprits. With revenge on her mind and a newfound accomplice in tow (Bruce Leung, Magnificent Bodyguards), she sets out to track down the men responsible for tearing her family apart – armed with both her considerable martial arts prowess and a nest of scorpions with which to poison her enemies.

Made at the height of her fame following roles in Hapkido, Lady Whirlwind, Enter the Dragon and When Taekwondo Strikes, Broken Oath is one of Angela Mao’s very best films – and boasts action choreography orchestrated by Hsia Hsu (Drunken Master) and Yuen Woo-ping, one of the most respected stunt coordinators in both Hong Kong (The Magnificent Butcher) and Hollywood (The Matrix). Eureka Classics is proud to present the film on Blu-ray for the first time anywhere in the world from a brand new 2K restoration.

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Video Quality

Broken Oath comes to Blu-Ray via Eureka Entertainment with a 1080p master in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio derived from a brand new 2K restoration of the uncut Theatrical Version. We always know that Eureka takes great care with its releases, and this one ranks highly in its recent Hong Kong output. This transfer is in admirable shape when it comes to wear and tear with very little in the way of speckles or damage. The presentation avoids virtually all instances of compression artifacts, banding, and other digital anomalies. 

The transfer maintains its organic roots without filtering or DNR impeding the image. The natural grain resolves famously with only a handful of odd moments when the grain field gets a bit unwieldy. Some fleeting signs of age linger, but the source has been restored with the utmost care. Any soft moments are typically optical fades or other attributes of the source elements. Fine detail is wonderful as you observe distinct facets of the outfits and the environment without hindrance. The transfer impresses when it comes to color saturation in some of the lavish production design, costumes, and lighting elements. Eureka has knocked this out of the park. 

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray presents the film with an LPCM 2.0 mono track in the original Mandarin along with an English dub available exclusively on the Hong Kong Theatrical Cut. Each of these tracks holds up favorably in comparison, but we suggest sticking with the original language for artistic integrity. The music does a competent job of settling you into the mood of the narrative, and it comes through with excellent fidelity. Some great fight scenes dig deep to sell the showdown, yet the track knows how to strike the necessary balance between the altercations and the reserved, character-driven moments. Dialogue can sound slightly boxy in some moments, but it is typically clear and easily discernible. Some source limitations are apparent, but there are no serious instances of damage or audio dropouts. Eureka has treated this well. Optional English subtitles are provided.

Special Features

• Hong Kong Theatrical Cut (1:37:57) and Extended Cut (1:42:09)

• Audio Commentaries: Two commentary tracks from film historians are provided in which they discuss the place of this film in Hong Kong cinema, the careers of the talent involved, how this differs from Lady Snowblood, the additions to the extended cut of the film, the cinematography of the film, the shooting locations, and more.

• • Audio Commentary #1 (Hong Kong Theatrical Cut): Asian cinema experts Frank Djeng

• • Audio Commentary #2 (Extended Cut): Action cinema experts Mike Leeder and Arne Venema

• Broken Oath – An Appreciation by Andrew Heskins: A 12-minute piece from Andrew Heskins who dives into the film, comparisons to Lady Snowblood, the background of the performers, and more. 

• Female Revenge – Scorpion vs Katana: A more thorough eight-minute look at the comparisons between Broken Oath and Lady Snowblood.

• Trailer: The three-and-a-half-minute trailer is provided here. 

• Booklet: This release provides a 27-page bound booklet featuring the essays “From Whirlwind to Lotus – Angela Mao and Broken Oath” by film historian Gina Marchetti and “Sympathy for Lady Whirlwind – Broken Oath and Lady Snowblood” by author Leon Hunt. 

Final Thoughts

Broken Oath is a great spin on the Lady Snowblood narrative of orchestrated revenge. Angela Mao commits completely to the lead role with a fierce dramatic presence and all of the martial arts prowess we expect from her. The film moves at a great pace and the level of craft is to be admired. This is a very fun ride. Eureka Entertainment has released a Blu-Ray featuring a stellar A/V presentation, informative supplements, and two cuts of the film. Fans of martial arts cinema should not miss this one. Recommended 

Broken Oath will be available to purchase on Blu-Ray on October 22, 2024.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Eureka Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.