Made via co-production with locations provided by Korea, Duel to the Death is the theatrical debut of Ching Siu Tung, a master of Hong Kong martial arts films such A Chinese Ghost Story(1987) and The Legend of the Swordsman(1991). This unlikely debut film represents the zenith of martial arts film aesthetics. Imaginary figures, like the formational flight of human kites piercing through the land and flying over the sky, and earth roaring giant Ninja, are featured vividly on the screen with the help of seamless martial arts performances and speedy, cutting-edge wirework action. ′Duel to the death′ is title for a martial arts contest where all the superiors from China and Japan fight against each other at the risk of death for honor once every 10 years. However, contestants get killed even before the contest begins by a Japanese plot to eliminate the Chinese masters. Leaving all the revenge and greed behind, the great swordsmen of China and Japan continue the contest on their own. A typical hero of martial arts film stands on behalf of its land and school. Fights not for all these obligations but for an individual′s belief have some tragic beauty, but they are also self-destructive. In this sense, the Suicide Rock in Taejongdae in Pusan seems to be the perfect location for the last fight. (Cho Young-jung)