The Storm Riders

The Storm Riders (風雲雄霸天下) is a 1998 Hong Kong wuxia film adapted from the manhua series Fung Wan by artist Ma Wing-shing. Directed by Andrew Lau, it starred Ekin Cheng and Aaron Kwok. The story follows two boys – Wind and Cloud – who are trained by the warlord Lord Conqueror to become formidable warriors, but ultimately team up to defeat their evil master. A sequel, The Storm Warriors, was directed by the Pang brothers and released in 2009.

Lord Conqueror, the master of a powerful martial arts clan, hears half of a prophecy that he will become successful in his conquest of the wulin with the help of Wind and Cloud. He locates two boys named Wind and Cloud and takes them as his apprentices, training them to become formidable martial artists.

Ten years later, Conqueror learns the second half of the prophecy that Wind and Cloud are also destined to bring about his downfall. Unwilling to accept his destiny, Conqueror plots to turn the boys against each other. He arranges for Wind to marry his daughter Charity even though he knows that Cloud is in love with her. On the day of the wedding, Cloud abducts Charity and gets into a fight with Wind. As Conqueror attempts to kill Cloud, Charity sacrifices herself to save Cloud.

While Wind grieves for Charity, Cloud fights for a special item that can preserve her body. He is wounded by Conqueror and loses an arm. Later, he is saved by Muse and her father Summit Yu, who nurse him back to health. Yu also removes the Fire Beast Arm he got by chance and has it transplanted onto Cloud. Cloud retrains himself to master the use of his new arm.

Meanwhile, Conqueror turns his attention to Wind, whom he secretly poisons and sends on a mission to claim the Blood Bodhi fruit. As the poison takes its toll on him, Wind recalls that Conqueror is responsible for his parents' deaths and uses the Blood Bodhi fruit to heal himself and become more powerful.

Cloud and Wind return to the clan to confront Conqueror. They team up to defeat him and Wind stops Cloud from delivering the killing blow. Conqueror is left insane and tormented by the ghosts of his victims, including Charity.

Ekin Cheng and Aaron Kwok returned for the sequel, reprising their respective roles as Wind and Cloud. The film was helmed by the Pang brothers and followed the "Japanese Invasion" story arc of the comics. Cheng and Kwok are joined by new cast members Nicholas Tse, Charlene Choi, Tiffany Tang and Simon Yam.

• Love HK Film - The Storm Riders
• The Storm Riders at IMDb
• Animerica review of original manga at the Wayback Machine (archived 4 April 2004)