THE DUEL OF THE CENTURY plays out like an opulent opera, replete with some superb swordplay and an impressive array of costumes and sets. Unfortunately, there is also some bad Old School wirework and reverse-action camera tricks. These are unnecessary distractions. The print I have is pristine, which helps, but bad is bad and some of these fantastical elements are VERY bad. Lu Xiaofeng, the defacto hero of the movie, takes out anybody who gets in the way of his delivering a poison antidote to the afflicted Ye, whose "duel of the century" with Shimen is the highly-touted tussle of the title (which, by the way, doesn't begin to live up to the hype, a failing of all too many Fights of the Century). There are lots of twists and turns along the way (and more than a few booby traps rigged with explosives) than meets the eye (some of these political machinations make the Republican blackmailing of Bill Clinton look like child's play). There's also a visit to a "house of eunuchs," where our hero is manhandled (so to speak) by the Clientele. Lu sums it all up near the end, telling Ye: "That's the way the martial arts world goes: the more famous you are, the more trouble you'll have."