[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/swordsmen.jpg]]

''Swordsmen'', also known as ''Wu Xia'', is a 2011 film directed by Creator/PeterChan and starring Creator/DonnieYen, Creator/JimmyWangYu, Creator/TakeshiKaneshiro and Creator/KaraWai.

Liu Jinxi (Donnie Yen) is just a non-notable villager in a small village, but he was able to kill a pair of bandits, one of whom was a very skilled fighter and on the most-wanted list. Detective Xu Baijiu (Takeshi Kaneshiro) is sent to investigate.

Thus begins a martial arts thriller that touches on themes of [[ToBeLawfulOrGood law versus good]] and [[SlidingScaleOfFreeWillVsFate destiny versus free will]].

Not related to the similarly-titled fanfic, ''FanFic/{{Swordsmen}}'', nor the 1990s ''Film/{{Swordsman}}'' trilogy.

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!!This film provides examples of:
* AmbiguouslyEvil: The detective Baijiu firmly adheres to law, but he is shown to be quite underhanded and amoral.
* ArmorIsUseless: The master's qigong or control of his internal energy is enough to stop a blade.
* BadassNormal: Xu Baijiu does not know martial arts beyond his acupuncture skills, but [[spoiler:he manages to defeat the Master using needles and lightning, at the cost of his life.]]
* BewareTheNiceOnes: Jinxi [[spoiler:aka Tang Long]] is mainly a peaceful villager, but if you attack his family, he will show to you his true self.
* BigBad: The Master of the 72 Demons.
* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler:Detective Baijiu is dead, Jinxi has lost an arm, and the 72 Demons are still free. However, the Master is dead for good, and Jinxi can live peacefully with his family from now.]]
* BloodFromTheMouth: [[spoiler:Baijiu's death.]]
* ChekhovsSkill: Xu Baijiu's acupuncture skills come handy at the end of the film.
* CombatPragmatist: Tang Long disarms the Madam and dominates her by using small joint manipulation when she is distracted with her sword lodged on the wall.
* CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass: Considering that a random paper mill worker named Lu Jinxi killed a skilled fighter and bandit who was on the most-wanted list, the detective deduces that Jinxi is not what he seems.
* DarkActionGirl: The 13th Madam.
* TheDon: The Master of the 72 Demons gang of assassins.
* EmotionsVersusStoicism: Detective Xu Baijiu falls squarely on the Stoicism side, and he cites his past experiences as a justification. He has even used acupuncture to suppress the emotion of caring and mercy for others when it conflicts with upholding the law. The events of the film challenge this belief.
* ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin: The movie has a {{wuxia}} setting, as indicated by the Chinese title of the film. Averted, however, with the English title, since the film has relatively few swordsmen.
* FourEyesZeroSoul: Baijiu.
* GoodIsNotNice: Xu Baijiu once released a juvenile offender to foster care, thinking said offender had reformed. The offender proceeded to poison his foster parents and almost Baijiu himself. Since then, he has resolved to not let people off the hook of the law easy, and to keep any instinct of mercy or kindness out of his work.
* HandicappedBadass: Lu Jinxi after [[spoiler:cutting off his arm.]]
* HeelFaceTurn: Lu Jinxi, from [[spoiler:his being a cold-blooded killer many years ago, as the NumberTwo member of the 72 Demons]]. And later, [[spoiler:the detective becomes this, as he changes from being an antagonist to Lu Jinxi to a friend and ally.]]
* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler:Baijiu gives his life to turn the The Master into a lightning rod. It's worth it.]]
* InspectorJavert: Baijiu becomes increasingly distrustful and paranoid towards Jinxi, and soon gets obsessed over uncovering his supposed true identity.
* KnightTemplar: Baijiu, especially to Lu Jinxi. The detective explicitly states that law is the only source of true justice in the world, but Lu Jinxi has been trying to establish a new life free from his former crimes through his personal repentance.
* MaskOfSanity: Possibly; it is not clear whether Baijiu is clinically off his rocker or it is just an narrative device to show his inner thoughts, but aside his quirks and obsessions, we actually see a side of his mind taking physical shape and talking to him as an evil clone.
* NeverBringAKnifeToAFistFight: Not when your opponent is a qi master. It will be useless.
* NonActionGuy: Defied by Baijiu, who has no proper martial arts training and still [[spoiler:charges to fight the Master with his needles.]]
* LoveAtFirstSight: How the Lu Jinxi and his wife first met.
* OhCrap: The detective has this look in his eyes when Jinxi and him are alone in the road and he believes he is gonna be murdered.
* OldMaster: The Master of the 72 Demons. His qigong is so strong that he cannot be hurt by the impact of blades, and he also can throw people clear across the room. The old man is practically TheJuggernaut.
* OneArmedWarrior: [[spoiler:Liu Jinxi himself]], and self-inflicted at that. He's still fully capable of holding his own even afterward.
* OneManArmy: Tang Long.
* RemakeCameo: The Master is played by Creator/JimmyWangYu, star of the original Film/OneArmedSwordsman.
* PressurePoint: Baijiu' fighting style, if it can be called such.
* SanitySlippage: When Baijiu attacks Jinxi with a bladed agricultural tool, almost killing him, in a paroxism of conviction about his theory.
* ScreamingWarrior: Many, especially among the 72 Demons.
* SlidingScaleOfFreeWillVersusFate: A theme debated through the events of the film. For Lu Jinxi, it is whether [[spoiler:his past will haunt and perhaps kill him, either by his former gang or by the law, or whether he can successfully make a new life for himself]]. For Xu Baijiu, it is how much people choose to be evil and must be held back by law or how much circumstances may conspire to result in evil. These two characters actually sit down once and have a chat about destiny.
* ToBeLawfulOrGood: [[spoiler:The conflict in morals that Xu Baijiu faces, as he gradually realizes Lu Jinxi truly has reformed himself.]]
* {{Wuxia}}: The setting--with small rural tribes and secret martial artists--is effectively this, even though the detective's western clothing is unusual for the genre, and the film is technically set in the early 20th century.