This set is great! I've been hoping for a restored release of the Sister Street Fighter films ever since Optimum released Sonny Chiba's Street Fighter trilogy in the UK. Sadly no UK release has been forthcoming, but this Brentwood set's very reasonably priced and well-restored.

Chiba himself makes an appearance in the first film, although not as Takuma Tsurugi (from his Street Fighter films). The action choreography's similar, as are several cast members (Masashi Ishibashi, from the first two Street Fighter films, appears in at least the first two Sister films, if not the third as well), but the first three Sister films are a hell of a lot more wild and wacky.

The villains are pretty much all dressed in bizarre costumes, and carry traditional weapons at all times. Never ask why no-one carries a gun - it's like asking why Bond villains don't just shoot Bond in the head when they capture him. I can only imagine the glee the costume department took when they set to work.

The great Yasuaki Kurata co-stars in the second and third films (as different characters), which is reason enough to watch them anyway. I've a feeling Japanese action cinema at the time had an even smaller talent pool to play with than Hong Kong, given you see several actors appear in more than one film, yet playing someone else each time.

The first three films follow fairly similar stories, but all are fun, if a little sadistic at times. The fourth film, Fifth Level Fist, is a bit different however.

Fifth Level Fist is a sequel in name only, with Etsuko Shihomi playing a completely different character here. There's a disappointing lack of crazy villains here, but there's a few Western actors involved, who appear to be speaking Japanese, rather than being dubbed, like they would have been in Hong Kong. I was rather impressed with the rather open treatment the film-makers gave the racist abuse two of the characters suffered in their youth. It's not something you expect in a Martial Arts film, and was handled very well.

I doubt I've covered why I actually recommend these films with the above meandering waffle. Basically, you get a very pretty leading lady who kicks major-league ass, crazy henchmen, a few naked ladies, Sonny Chiba, and Yasuaki Kurata. You also get Etsuko Shihomi displaying some rather fine nunchaku technique as well.

The choreography is stunning, especially the duel between the masters and Leung Kar-yan. For a man whose only real training came when he decided to work in films, Leung Kar-yan has superb control. How they didn't kill each other amazes me.

I have to admit, I though Dean Shek was hilarious as Master Rocking. He was a bit too strange in Warriors Two, but here he's just right. Funnily enough, before seeing any of the HKL series, I was unaware that Dean Shek had done roles like this. I'd only seen him in A Better Tomorrow II, where he'd done a rather good dramatic turn. I digress...

Anyway, this film is one of the finest Hong Kong martial arts films of all time. I still prefer 8 Diagram Pole Fighter for weapons scenes, but this comes very close to that.

This is in Mandarin with imbedded subtitles, despite the box saying it's the English version. The bonus fight's very silly, and seems to star the Shaolin hero from this film.

To be honest, this film really isn't very good. The film seems very disjointed, like someone cut chunks out at random. Our bald hero seems to become a great kung fu expert despite the training consisting of swinging on some ropes and doing a few flips. If that's all it takes, I'm off to become one as well.

Characters seem to disappear then reappear with mention, and the end fight has the three combatants jump into a hallway, then mysteriously cuts to them, in the woods, with the villain up a tree!

A very silly part of the end fight is the obligatory drunken monk bizarrely being allowed to give the Shaolin hero alcohol to allow him to use his drunken pole fighting. WTF? What self-repecting villain would stand there and allow this? He could have at least have been knocked down and struggling to get back up.

Going back to the drunken pole fighting, this is actually rather good. Quite possibly the only reason to watch the film. The rest of the choreography's good, but nothing special.

I never have been able to discover who Jacky Lee is, or why he's mentioned on the casing as cameoing. I presume he's the random stranger that turns up at the temple looking for a fight, leading to a fight with our Shaolin hero. Never heard of him outside of this film.

Lau Kar-leung himself cameos, as a Drunken Boxing teacher, in a display even better than that of Yuen Siu-tin in Drunken Master. He also doubles for Gordon Liu (certainly looks like him) for some of the flashier three-sectioned staff displays.

All of the fight scenes are great, with Gordon Liu's fights with his wife, Yasuaki Kurata (possibly the only time I'll ever see a Crab-based style), and his three-sectioned staff vs tonfa/nunchaka fight with the Bruce Lee lookalike as standouts.

In closing, ignore the suspect political undertones, and watch for the stunning choreography.

A simple revenge story it may be, but rarely as well done as it is here. Add the absolutely incredible action scenes, and you have the perfect martial arts film. No-one in the film puts a foot wrong. Gordon Liu's pole work is amazing, as is that of the Phillip Ko (the Abbot). Lily Li (how she aged from The Young Master!) and Kara Hui do good work in their own right (and look good doing so). Lau Kar-leung's cameo is a nice one, letting him cut loose on the Tartars in fine style (using a suspiciously fake-looking trident).

The final battle is absoltuely fantastic, with the monks literally knocking the bad guys' teeth out.

Quite simply, this is the best martial arts film I have ever seen. It's better than The Prodigal Son, Fist of Legend, Project A, Iron Monkey, Drive, and 36th Chamber of Shaolin, to name but a few.

Do whatever you have to do to see this film. Beg, lie, cheat, steal, sell relatives into slavery even. It's that good. [Shaw Brothers], I thank you.