Inexternal is a Hong Kong martial arts fantasy that attempts to pay homage to the pulpy kung fu films of the past but ultimately disappoints due to lackluster fight scenes and a muddled plot. Despite its vibrant animated opening sequence, which sets expectations for a wild, late-night movie experience, the film quickly falters with clumsy storytelling and underwhelming action.
The plot revolves around Chet (Angus Yeung Tin-yue), an employee at a veterinary clinic who finds himself in a coma after being badly beaten by a gang. While lying in a hospital bed, Chet experiences a hallucinatory adventure in a dark, fantastical realm. Here, he encounters the martial arts master Sifu Turtle (Dave Lam Ching) and his granddaughter Cloud (Macy Ma Sihui), who are hiding from the villainous Dragon (Louis Cheung Kai-chung), a power-hungry figure in this dream-like underworld.
Chet soon learns he is destined to inherit Turtle’s ancient “Lethwei boxing” technique and must defeat Dragon. Along the way, there are additional plot points involving a sacred pendant, a bloody history between Turtle and Dragon, and other martial arts masters ready to train the hero. While these elements are clichés from martial arts stories, they could have been charming had the narrative not been so disjointed.
A secondary plotline adds some amusement: Chet’s mother (Candice Yu On-on) reads him a martial arts story from a book as she sits by his hospital bed, hinting that her reading may be influencing Chet’s fate in his dream world. However, the film fails to fully explore this potentially clever concept, leaving the audience confused about the connection between the mother’s storytelling and Chet’s hallucinatory journey.
Unfortunately, the fight sequences—the heart of any martial arts film—are poorly executed. Sloppy editing and incomprehensible choreography make the action scenes difficult to follow, leaving viewers wondering why Inexternal even bothers with the martial arts genre.
Co-scripted by director-producer Yuen Kim-wai and Ryan Ling Wai-chun, Inexternal struggles to capture the appeal of the genre. It’s worth noting that the film was shot three years ago, prior to Yuen’s more successful effort with The Moon Thieves, released earlier this year. Despite its ambitions, Inexternal fails to rise above its martial arts clichés and clunky execution.
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