An army deserter (Yuen Biao) is chased by vampires in the mountains of Zu. He is rescued by a master (Adam Cheung) and becomes his devoted pupil. But when they are ambushed by the Blood Devil, the pair find themselves in need of the assistance of a devil chaser (Damian Lau) and his pupil (Mang Hoi). With the additional help of Master Chang Mei (Sammo Hung), they manage to hold off the Blood Devil … but they will need to find the Dual Swords to destroy it!

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Video Quality

Zu: Warriors From The Magic Mountain comes to Blu-Ray via Shout! Studios with a 1080p master in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio derived from a 2K restoration of the original film elements. This new release offers a satisfying presentation that holds up to what we expect from the martial arts genre on physical media. The transfer features dazzling color saturation throughout with bright colors radiating off the screen, especially in the special effects and other inventive design elements.

The level of novel detail rarely comes up short as you take in the intricate facets unveiled with this restoration. The transfer does not appear to have any unruly DNR applied which allows it to retain its organic appearance. There are brief optical effects shots that are a bit soft which should trace back to the source elements. There is very little in the way of lingering wear and tear, and the film does not stumble with any serious instances of compression artifacts. Black levels hold up well and highlights do not get overblown. Shout! Studios has presented the title with great care.

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray presents the film with a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio dual mono track in the original Cantonese along with a Mandarin and English dub stereo track that holds up favorably. We always go to bat for artistic purity and suggest you listen to the Cantonese track, but you shouldn’t be disappointed with any of your choices. Dialogue is clear and distinguishable throughout the runtime. Due to the post-looping, you will spot some mouths not properly aligned with the audio tracks, but this is a part of the production process.

The film deploys some hard-hitting sound effects in the mix that are given the appropriate weight. The track can sound slightly boxy which can make some moments feel a bit outdated. The score maintains an agreeable fidelity, but there are instances of age-related wear and tear and general brashness at the highest amplitudes. Overall, Shout! Studios has done everything they can to provide a quality audio experience. This release does have optional English subtitles provided.

Special Features

Audio Commentaries: This disc provides one new and one partial archival commentary track from film historians that tackle the film on a broad and more granular level. Throughout these two tracks, you get some background information on the production, the challenges during filming, how it differed from other Hong Kong productions, the special effects, the background of the performers, and more.

- Audio Commentary: Hong Kong Filmmaker And Academic Gilbert Po And Critic Sean Tierney

- Select Scene Audio Commentary: Asian Cinema Expert Tony Rayns

Zu: Time Warrior – Export Cut (1:37:16): A baffling alternate cut of the movie is provided with tons of unique footage in rough form and Dolby Digital 2.0 audio.

Alternate Opening Credits: A two-minute alternate look at the opening credits is provided.

From West to East – Interview with Visual Effects Consultant Peter Kuran: A new 22-minute interview with the special effects consultant in which he discusses being brought on board for this after Star Wars, the challenges of working in Hong Kong, the work of Tsui Hark, how he taught some of the Hong Kong crew some tricks of the trade, and more.

Riding A New Wave – Interview with Author and Academic Victor Fan: A new 28-minute conversation with the historian in which he discusses where the film stands in the history of Hong Kong cinema, the American influence on the special effects, the campy aspects of the narrative, the legacy of the film, and more.

The Majesty and Magic of a Hong Kong Milestone – Interview with Academic Lin Feng: A new 18-minute piece with the academic in which she dives deep into the career of Tsui Hark.

Interview with Director Tsui Hark: A nearly 62-minute interview with the director in which he discusses the origins of the film, the experience of working for different studios, working with Hollywood visual effects talent, the performers he directed, and more.

Interview with Actor Yuen Biao: A nearly 13-minute interview with the actor in which he discusses his early interest in special effects, the directing style of Tsui Hark, memories of working with the ensemble, and more.

Interview with Actor Moon Lee: A nearly 22-minute interview with the actress in which she discusses her role in the film, the challenges of shooting certain stunts, memorable moments on set, her career after this role, and more.

Interview with Actor Man Hoi: A nearly 19-minute interview with the performer in which he discusses the role Bruce Lee had on his career, the choreography of the film, his fellow performers, and more.

Theatrical Trailer: The four-minute trailer is provided here.

Still Gallery: A collection of images from the production is provided.

Final Thoughts

Zu: Warriors From The Magic Mountain is an extremely fun wuxia fantasy film that is all over the place in the most complimentary way. The film is fast-paced, almost to a fault, but it leads you to so many wild and unexpected places filled with practical special effects that will make purists giddy. It holds a unique space in the genre, and we cherish it. Shout! Studios has provided the film with a Blu-Ray release that delivers a formidable A/V presentation and a nice amount of special features. If you like the film, this is the best way to own it. Recommended

Zu: Warriors From The Magic Mountain is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray.

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

Disclaimer: Shout! Studios 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.