Plot
It is early Northern Song dynasty, AD 986, in Northeastern China. The film starts as Yang Ye (Adam Cheng), the leader of the Yang Clan and General for Song, executes 30 whiplashes to his youngest and second youngest child. They participated in a kung fu tournament which caused the death of a rival clan's son. The following morning, the two clan leaders meet with the emperor about the issue when the signaling stations (used for warning an oncoming invasion by their neighboring country) ignites.
It was the Khitan army invading, hoping to take its revenge on Yang Clan for a past massacre that killed the former Khitan general. It was noted that the leader of the oncoming Khitan army is led by the son of the former Khitan general. Due to politics and the recent death of rival clan's son, the rival clan leader is awarded with 50,000 troops to welcome the Khitan army. As punishment, General Yang is awarded to lead the charge and be the scout for Song Dynasty. When the two armies meet, the lack of leadership by the rival clan leader causes chaos among the Song army as Khitan takes a decisive victory. All the while, General Yang is trapped behind enemy lines as the retreat horn sounds.
Publication Information
- Title : Saving General Yang
- Chinese : 忠烈楊家將
- Directed by : Ronny Yu
- Produced by : Raymond Wong
- Written by : Edmond Wong, Liu Shijia, Ronny Yu
- Starring : Adam Cheng, Ekin Cheng, Yu Bo, Vic Zhou, Li Chen, Raymond Lam, Wu Chun, Fu Xinbo
- Music by : Kenji Kawai
- Cinematography : Chan Chi-ying
- Edited by : Drew Thompson
- Production company : Pegasus Motion Pictures, Pegasus Film & TV Culture (Beijing), Huayi Brothers, Henan Film & TV Production Group, Henan Film Studio
- Distributed by : Pegasus Motion Pictures Distribution Limited
- Release dates : 4 April 2013
- Running time : 102 minutes
- Country : Hong Kong
- Language : Mandarin, Cantonese
- Box office : HK$6.3 million
Led by the eldest son (Ekin Cheng), the seven brothers - the two youngest whom have never been to battle - set out with a small band of Yang clan's elite soldiers to fight through an army of thousands to reach to the Wolf Mountain. Upon getting their, the Khitan army starts bombarding the town with catapults and unleash their attack. The seven escapes with their father, but are the only ones of the clan to escape. Now, they must find the way back alive - all to bring their father home.
Before sending off the seven sons, the mother visits a fortune teller. The teller writes a slip of paper saying: "Seven will set off, six will return". However, by the end of the film, only one of the sons returned (second youngest). He returned with the body of his father (General Yang died on the way back from Wolf Mountain due to heavily sustained battle injuries), the weapons of all his brothers (who died to the Khitan general), and the head of the Khitan general.
He soon married his long time crush from childhood, redeemed not only his actions from the beginning of the film, but also his father's failure to stop the Khitan army. The Khitan queen had to halt her assault on the Song empire due to the loss of her general. Because of the son's actions, the Yang clan developed a very popular reputation, still told in Chinese folklore today.
Cast
- Adam Cheng as Yang Linggong - General Yang
- Xu Fan as She Taijun - General Yang's wife
- Ekin Cheng as Yang Yan Ping - Yang's first son
- Yu Bo as Yang Erlang - Yang's second son
- Vic Chou as Yang Sanlang - Yang's third son
- Li Chen as Yang Yanhui - Yang's fourth son
- Raymond Lam as Yang Yande - Yang's fifth son
- Wu Chun as Yang Yanzhao - Yang's sixth son
- Fu Xinbo as Yang Yansi - Yang's seventh son
- Ady An as Princess Chai
- Shao Bing as Yelü Yuan (villain)
- Bryan Leung as Pan Renmei
- Chen Zhihui as Huyan Zan
- Li Qian as Yang Paifeng
