At the beginning of the 20th century, China is in a state of crisis. The country is split into warring factions, the citizens are starving, and recent political reforms have made matters worse, not better. The ruling Qing Dynasty, led by a seven-year-old emperor, and his ruthless mother, Empress Dowager Longyu is completely out of touch after 250 years of unquestioned power. Huang Xing has recently returned from Japan, where he has studied the art of modern warfare. When he finds his country falling apart, he feels he has no choice but to pick up the sword.
Based on a novel by Gu Long, Frankie Chan's A Warrior's Tragedy details the parallel stories of two warriors: one trained to love, the other to hate, both to be superior swordsman. On one side of this twisty tale of murder and revenge lies the dark and brooding Fu Hung-Suet (Ti Lung). Dressed from head to toe in basic black, Fu wanders from town to town, dispatching his enemies with his impressive ebony sabre. On the other end of the spectrum is the happy-go-lucky Yip Hoi (Frankie Chan), a cheeky, mustachioed fellow who dresses in white and happens to be a proficient martial artist. As one would expect, the two contrasting swordsman are locked on a proverbial collision course with destiny as both are invited to the home of the villainous Ma Hong-Kwan, who has a sinister connection to our heroes.
