What happens when you try to emulate PS3 graphics in a 2014 animated film? Spoiler: It doesn't age very well.
Heavenly Sword is reviewed.
Here’s a paraphrased summary of Heavenly Sword (2014), followed by an overview of its critical reception:
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🎬 Plot Summary
Nariko, a young warrior from an ancient clan tasked with safeguarding the powerful Heavenly Sword, is deemed a failure by her father and tribe. Yet when warlord King Bohan’s forces attack, she demonstrates her prowess by defending her people—but at great cost. The sword she guards is only meant for a prophesied divine hero, but with time running out and the enemy closing in, Nariko reluctantly takes up the weapon herself.
Throughout the film, she uncovers startling truths: her sister Kai was raised separately, and a long-lost brother, Loki, exists who might be the true destined wielder. As Nariko journeys with Kai to find him, she battles Bohan’s hordes and confronts her own mortality—because the Heavenly Sword drains its wielder’s life force. In a climactic showdown, Nariko sacrifices everything to defeat Bohan, transfers her remaining power to Kai, and ultimately dies—leaving the sword’s legacy in capable hands .
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📝 Reception
Scores & Ratings
Rotten Tomatoes:
Tomatometer: 28% (critics)
Audience score: modest (over 100 ratings)
IMDb:
5.3/10, based on over 102,000 votes
Moviefone / Audience Score: about 63%
Critics
Bertie Archer (RT): described it as feeling like “rough, unfinished cutscenes” and rated it 1/5 .
Letterboxd reviewers were equally harsh:
> “The animation says ‘I should’ve come out in 2000,’ but the writing says ‘I should’ve never been made.’”
Audience Feedback
Mixed opinions across forums:
Best Buy reviewer: “loose adherence to the original story,” but still recommendable as a rental .
Rotten Tomatoes audience comments varied from “actually rather engaging” with its world-building and storyline to “cheap CGI, shoddy animation” and “lazy action scenes” .
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✅ Final Take
Heavenly Sword offers a faithful retelling of the core game plot, with a strong female lead and some compelling action moments. However, its low-quality animation, disjointed storytelling, and feeling like extended game cutscenes left most critics—and many viewers—disappointed. If you're a die-hard fan of the original Heavenly Sword game, it's watchable for the nostalgia and narrative, but don't expect much beyond that.
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