At Comic-con earlier in the year, a trailer was shown for a new post-apocalyptic martial arts action series from AMC. With the Walking Dead and spinoff series garnering a huge following, it seems the network can do no wrong and so they bring us Into the Badlands. Post-apocalyptic shows are nothing new, but few have of them have the action pedigree that this show has. Daniel Wu is an American born Chinese actor whose a big star in China and has starred in more than 80 films. He along with Stephen Fung, produced this show along with the talented writing duo of Alan Gough and Miles Miller, whose previous credits include such creations like Smallville and Spider Man 3. Daniel and Stephen bring authentic Hong King-style choreagraphy to the Western audience.
Action films here in the US often includes frentic quick cuts especially when it comes to martial arts combat scenes. Half the time, I can’t tell what’s going on. This is primarily due to the acceptance of this style and the fact that most actors/actresses aren’t trained in martial arts. Compare this to action films in China where combat is coherent and choreograophed beautifully. Daniel and his crew bring this authentic style here to Into the Badlands and it shows from the very first opening scenes. Story-wise, it’s set 500 years in a post-apocalyptic future where the land is now ruled by 7 powerful barons. The very first episode, the Fort, introduces us to Sonny and this forsaken world. Sonny is a Clipper, who are highly trained enforcers for one of the main barons of the Badlands. Each clipper also has tattoos symbolizing the number of kills they’ve had and Sonny sits at the top.
In this episode, not only are we introduced to this action-packed world and some of its characters, but we also get a glimpse of a deeper story. Along with Sonny, we’re introduced to this boy who possesses some “unique” abilities. With his introduction, it sets into motion events that will change Sonny and the Badlands that he inhabits. AMC currently has 6 shows already scheduled and if Into the Badlands is a hit, then we can look forward to a more ass-kicking future!
-Geek Outside!
