REVIEW:
"The Rage of Wind" is another in a long and increasingly tiresome line of Japanese vs. Chinese films where the Japanese are uniformly portrayed as villainous. The film's saving grace is a final lakeshore battle featuring some satisfying, down and dirty "Southern style" Chinese boxing.

Homely Chen Sheng stars as Chan Kuan, a professional boxer who is returning to China with his American wife (Irene Ryder) after accidentally killing the son of his benefactor in a match. We learn this in a clumsy exchange between the couple as their boat approaches Chan's village. About the same time, Taga, the occupying Japanese leader at the village has also returned to find one of his own men killed by Chan's nephew.

Unlike many of the actors playing Japanese, Taga is played by a real Japanese actor named Yasuaki Kurata (aka Shoji Kurata). Kurata should be familiar to martial arts film fans for numerous turns as the Japanese villain in Hong Kong films from "Shaolin Challenges Ninja" (1979) to "Fist of Legend" (1997). Although friend and Aussie martial arts star, Richard Norton has called Kurata a "fine gentleman," his characters are rarely less than frigidly vicious. With wincing eyes, a disarming smile and potent martial arts skill, Kurata is the most charismatic in a relatively mundane cast of usual chopsocky suspects.

The remainder of the story is a lifeless series of confrontations between Taga, his one-dimensional lackeys, Chan, and the nearly helpless townsfolk. Having taken all he can stomach with his wife kidnapped, his uncle murdered, and the townsfolk's livelihood nearly torched, the fun finally kicks in as Chan runs down to the beach (?) to find Taga waiting for one final match. The two spar in a long, grueling unarmed melee until Taga busts out the nunchuku for some bone-crushing action. But thanks to the village idiot, played by Han Kuo Chai who rarely plays anything but, Chan receives a good old piece of hickory to dole out justice in the nick of time.

This is a purely average, early '70's kung fu flick with few distinguishing features. Amusingly, the ripped soundtrack does include a variety of tunes including some unidentifiable yet obvious horror music and even a track from synth-soundmeisters, Tangerine Dream. Largely, "The Rage of Wind's" only true selling points are actor Yasuarki Kurata's presence and his violently satisfying, elbow-busting fight to the finish with Chen Sheng.

REVIEW:
This movie is based on a Shaw Brothers film called Pursuit, made in 1972. This in turn was based upon a classic Chinese story called All Men Are Brothers. The story deals with the popular theme of the rebellion against the Ching Dynasty run by the Manchu's who were unpopular with the Chinese people. The film captures the frustration and confusion that officials might have felt upon being told to turn on their fellow countrymen.

1993 was a big year for kung fu films in Hong Kong and this one rates below some of the top picks such as Iron Monkey and Fong Sai Yuk. All these films share fanciful wirework and gravity-defying leaps but All Men Are Brothers doesn't pull it off with the same style. The story is engaging but uneven as too much of the film is spent building up to the final showdown which seems rushed. Elvis Tsui is clearly the star of the film with the best role I've seen yet in a modern kung fu film. He plays it loud, intense, outspoken, and simply oozes charisma onscreen. The rest of the characters seem wooden by comparison.

The transfer is a disappointment as the fixed white subtitles are frequently hard to read. The sound and video are standard or below and the extras are weak. The synopsis and cast information are simply the same as provided on the jacket. Why do distributors even bother? Two trailers feature some romantic comedies?!

All Men Are Brothers doesn't have the best choreography or originality of story. What remains though is a fun, energetic film about loyalty and friendship that just manages to reach its nose above the silt of mediocrity.

REVIEW:
A beautifully filmed tale of love lost and people desperate to find resolution in their lives. Wong Kar-wai is better known as a director of art house films such as Days of Being Wild (1988) and In the Mood for Love (2000). His trademark style of seemingly freeform narratives and creative imagery were masterfully combined with Sammo Hung's seasoned choreography. In Wong's only martial arts film to date, there can be found a depth of character development and genuine emotional motivations which provide the true meat of the film.

The action varies slightly from Sammo's previous work in that most shots are extremely close. Wong's focus on facial expressions and tight camera work results in the viewer feeling more attached to the people on screen. Although this coziness is offset by a narrative that courses through the events of several character's lives who are distant, lost in their own selfishness or remorse.

The soundtrack deserves mention as one of the best I have ever heard for a martial arts film. It captures the mood perfectly and contains exotic tones to match the gorgeous landscape. This particular DVD transfer from Mei Ah is highly recommended over other versions available. Other editions suffer from poor video and audio transfers, cropping and only being available in standard, pan and scan format.

This is not your standard kung fu fare. Many reviews I have seen, aside from the poor quality of other versions often complain about the confusing narrative that is hard to follow. I will agree that you have to concentrate, but that certainly isn't a flaw. On the contrary, the film gains points for layering a thick stew of emotion, heady imagery, and a visceral expression in its action which is reminiscent of Sergio Leone's classic Westerns. This is a film to be seen over and over. The acting is excellent, the cinematography beautiful, and the action sequences while not on par with the best kung fu films is well done and plentiful. I recommend renting this title and seeing just how good an action movie can be, seen through the eyes of an cinematic artist.

REVIEW:
An entertaining exploration of martial arts film that shows its age. There are plenty of fight scenes taken from some of the best films up to 1985 and its actually nice to see some of the once up and coming Asian and American stars such as Cynthia Rothrock and Sibelle Hu featured.

There are plenty of fight scenes picked from various films although several of them are repeated and plenty of films are not represented, notably many Shaw Brothers films. Of course this documentary was produced by Raymond Chow at Golden Harvest so their films are featured. Little new insight is provided on these films with the exception of several interviews with Sammo, Jackie, and Rothrock. The only real behind-the-scenes look takes place on the set of a Rothrock film being directed by Robert Clouse (Enter the Dragon).

If you've seen most of Sammo's, Jackie's, or Rothrock's films, there is little reason to visit this DVD. Although it doesn't feature the great films of the early 90's, this documentary is still a good introduction for new or young fans of the 80's.

REVIEW:
This generally entertaining film is plagued with a number of flaws even while it scores points in other areas. The choreography is better than most kung fu films that come before but sadly lacks the polish of contemporary and later films such as Iron Monkey. There are a number of enjoyable fight scenes but they occasionally seem out of place with the story. Sammo Hung is a competent action director and flexes his skills here with lots of solid kung fu action. Unfortunately, wires can be seen at times and the camera work is uneven while some of the stunt work is too comically unrealistic to fit in a seemingly serious story.

The film has an epic feel to it with fights arranged in grand outdoor scenes. The subject has potential to be a truly dramatic experience. Chinese fight for freedom from Japanese Imperialism and find themselves torn by ideological differences. The acting is well done while Ti Lung, the Cary Grant of kung fu is in top form. I found the fact that two essentially good people (Szu-tung & Shih-kai) who both wished the best for their country become enemies to be engaging. There are rules though to be followed in kung fu film. A few repugnant characters displaying a one-dimensional sadistic personality were present. Sammo makes a cameo in his own film to challenge Wang Wu who tries to free his friend, Szu-tung. But the encounter is too short and slightly out of place with the narrative. Cynthia Khan plays Nine Catties, Szu-tung's student but only provides occasional comic relief.

Sammo Hung has a penchant for delving into the underside of humanity in many of his films. I applaud his efforts to underscore simple heroism with a deeper morass of mixed emotions and doubt. Blade of Fury doesn't successfully reach this greater depth because the film is trying to offer too much. Yet, there is plenty of action and the film's look remains impressive. China Star's release loses points for having no DVD extras and Chinese only menus.

REVIEW:
Countless kung fu films have dealt with the historical Ming vs. Ching conflict and the famed Shaolin Temple but few have managed to create such an entertaining and ambitious account of the Temple's destruction.

Joseph Kou, who not only directed but wrote the story in this third entry in an unofficial trilogy beginning with "The 18 Bronzemen" and followed by "The 18 Bronzemen: Part 2" is not content to focus on Shaolin Temple alone. The beginning strays from the film's main story with a bit about the Emperor's sister played by Chia Ling ("Revengeful Swordswoman") whose immediate family is suspected of having Ming sympathies and therefore subjected to Emperor Yong Zheng's wrath. His sister, a competent fighter, thwarts Yong's attempt to imprison their family and she later goes into hiding after a failed attempt to assassinate him. From here on the focus shifts to the plight of Shaolin Temple and its inhabitants.

After discovering that Shaolin is linked with Liu and the Eight Swordsmen -- all rebels, Emperor Yong Zheng orders General Kim and his his cannon squad to lay waste to the Temple. With little warning, Kim's soldiers begin to fire on the Temple, causing massive death and destruction. Despite the severity of the situation, the abbot orders that the only way students may leave the Temple is by passing through the hall of 18 Bronzemen, in keeping with Temple tradition. Students pour into the hall, ill-prepared to face the rigors of the Bronzemen. After agonizing over his loss of judgment, the abbot rushes to open another escape route by holding up an enormous stone while students rush underneath. Unable to save himself, the abbot gives the final copy of the famed "18 styles" of kung fu to his trusted student Siu (Carter Wong). Having escaped, Siu and the remaining students and teachers hide from their Ching pursuers while plotting to kill the Emperor. As one attempt fails, their hopes are set on a final plot, of which the success or failure rests upon a fellow Shaolin monk turned traitor.

As mentioned earlier, the story begins to move in one direction and promptly shifts into another once the Shaolin Temple takes center stage. Thankfully, this is where the story really gets interesting. In fact, with decent production values (okay, Shaolin Temple long shots are obviously of a model) and a genuinely compelling story, "The Blazing Temple" actually transcends the usual chopsocky vibe and becomes more along the lines of a well-played historical epic. Its a historical fact that the Ching Dynasty rulers sacked Shaolin Temple, adding one more wound to the pride of the majority of Chinese who considered their Manchu rulers to be unwanted oppressors. Like most films based upon history, "The Blazing Temple" plays up the melodrama, but there is some genuine emotional strings to be pulled here. The stereotypical image of the wise old Shaolin abbot who is unruffled by adversity is shattered by the overwhelming force of the Ching assault. One chillingly relevant scene shows an elder monk setting fire to himself while General Kim and his stunned soldiers look on in disbelief. This of course, recalls the real life actions of a Falun Gong member in China who set fire to herself and her young daughter to protest the government's crackdown on the movement.

While the film contains less then the average quotient of kung fu, the action-packed opening scenes involving the Emperor's daughter seem to have been inserted for just this reason and Chia Ling really hams it up. Likewise, Carter Wong gets to shine in the final reel as the last attempt on the Emperor's life plays out. After a series of increasingly vicious battles, Wong suddenly goes berserk with the "18 styles." The real beauty of this film is that all of the dramatic buildup that has gone before gives Wong's last performance a tremendous impact that will make you want to stand up and cheer.

The presence of the usually welcome Chia Ling at the beginning and end of the film never congeals with the rest of the story. In addition, the gimmick of the Emperor's mysterious "sword-proof vest" seems oddly out of place in this film, but these are minor complaints. All in all, "The Blazing Temple" is a sure fire classic featuring Holst-inspired music, great sets and costumes, and fine performances wrapped in a timeless tale of heroism.

REVIEW:
BLOODED TREASURY FIGHT is absolutely a classic of martial arts adventure with more twists and turns than you can shake a monk's spade at. Playing like THE GUNS OF NAVARONE with a touch of THE DIRTY DOZEN, the film is a nonstop knock down, drag out brawl leading to an epic standoff among massive grinding millstones.

Immediately, the direction stands out as fresh and dynamic with clever angles punctuating an energetic plot that never lets up. Superkicker Dorian Tan winningly headlines the film in one of his best performances as Chow Kwan-hai, an official whose greed leads him to betray his friends and partners. Dozens of well choreographed fights and vivid outdoor location shoots provide Tan and his fellow stars an optimal showcase for their talents.

The filmmakers take the overused plot device of a mad dash for hidden treasure and adapt it to the kung fu genre with ease. The success of this formula in this case comes from a series of plot twists and double-crosses that leaves the viewer guessing. Like the best Chang Cheh films, memorable kung fu battles employing numerous weapons and styles are frequently inserted into the narrative.

Even the soundtrack lifted from Battlestar Galactica lends a certain zest to the film and compliments the fast and furious pace. If anything is wrong with the film, its that the outdoor imagery and large scale battles lose impact in the full screen format. Additionally, about three brief chapter hiccups provide a slight bit of annoyance. Otherwise, BLOODED TREASURY FIGHT is a fun and exciting picture that is highly recommended to all fans of classic kung fu.

REVIEW:
Long considered one of the definitive films of Hong Kong new wave, "The Bride with White Hair" is deservedly one of the most lavish, kinetic, and fantastic films you will ever see.

Brigitte Lin's long career reached a high point with her role as Lien Ni-chang, a woman driven to destructive rage by the forces surrounding her. Lin's electrifying performance is almost eerie in its completeness. She followed this role with the lesser sequel in which she still dominated the screen with her intense stare. Lin went on to play in a number of period roles, with her performance in "Ashes of Time" as another highlight. Leslie Chung is at once arrogant, distraught, and finally heartbroken. In fact, all the performances are masterfully played for the film. Behind the scenes, director Ronnie Yu, who produced the first two installments of the "Once Upon a Time in China" franchise also peaked on this film. The use of dramatic color and close-ups, coupled with a riveting story and exotic costumes gives the film a unique look that leaps out at the viewer. This is also thanks in part to the brilliant cinematography of Peter Pau ("Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon").

The story itself takes elements of classic Chinese fantasy and mythology and mixes it with a brooding modern narrative style. Cho Yi-hang is a sort of Hamlet like character haunted, not by a dead father but by a living one who wishes him to assume a role of the clan's leader, something Cho has no ambitions for. As we see Cho grow to adulthood, he becomes aware of the cruelty all around him. Everyone who has ever shown him kindness seems capable of killing with no regard. When he meets Lien Ni-chang, there is a connection beyond the material. Both individuals are out of touch with their people and their world. Yet, there is a stark difference. Lien remains wild and untamed, having grown up with wolves. It is the ultimate irony that Cho, the only truly remorseful character eventually drives Lien to lash out in a wildly hateful fury.

This is an impressive film with no discernable flaws. The action is intense, yet the story is well thought out and emotionally engaging. The production values are of the highest order, showing that even on a smaller budget, Hong Kong films can easily compete with Hollywood. Without a doubt, The Bride with White Hair is a genuine classic of the fantasy genre.

REVIEW:
This film is a must for everyone. This film is a wonderful blend of light comedy and the best football (soccer) action ever committed to celluloid. Despite the fact it stars an all-star cast, it has hardly any martial arts in the film (apart from one absolutely hilarious tango-fight scene!).

Yuen Biao stars as a an acrobatic country hick who accidentally injures a wealthy socialite during a hilarious pre-credits competition. After running away, he joins a soccer team who discovers his talents, and subsequently joins the team. Despite the martial arts adept cast, there is no virtually no martial arts in the film. In fact all the action choreography, provided by the fantastic Yuen Woo Ping stunt team, goes on the absolutely exhilarating, jaw dropping, soccer games. Yuen Biao, as usual, provides a wonderful performance while Dick Wei also provides a great portrayal as the arrogant soccer player villain. Moon Lee is also quite brilliant and beautiful as the sister of Yuen Biao's friend.

This is a treat for all the family. Unlike most family films, filled with too much sentimental rubbish with jokes only for the little kids. This film has no profanity, no blood and guts, no sex, yet it is a fantastic underrated classic for all the family. They don't make them like this anymore.

REVIEW:
This light-hearted comedy proves to be Angela Mao's best showcase film as she dominates the screen in nearly non-stop fights throughout.

Jackie Chan, who directed the action has an obvious influence on the tone. Although the film contains the prerequisite revenge plot, DANCE OF DEATH rarely takes itself seriously and features numerous puns and spoofs from references to the One-Armed Swordsman with Mao sporting a basket hat to character names such as "No. 1 Roc" of The Hundred Bird clan. There is even a Blake Edward's PINK PANTHER reference as a kung fu style with accompanying Henry Mancini music. Being one of her few funny roles, Mao really hams it up, combining an intense physical performance with a charmingly spunky persona.

While there is plenty of action, there is little in the way of plot even by genre standards. After Fei Fei (Mao) talks two kung fu masters who have been feuding over whose skill is better into training her, she breezes through the training sequences. From that point on, the three encounter key members of The Hundred Birds and Fei Fei defeats each one in turn on her way to the school's leader. All the while, she deceives her two teachers into thinking that her fights are solely for the purpose of determining which of their stances are better. Personally, I was frustrated by the fact that she also deceives everyone into thinking she is a man throughout the entire film. While its common practice in kung fu film for a woman to dress as a man and not be recognized, I kept expecting her to be "discovered" at the last moment which would have been a fun addition.

Fans of female butt-kickers, Jackie Chan-like screwball comedy, and classic kung fu conventions will surely enjoy this film. Otherwise, a weak story and a large amount of decent but not extraordinary kung fu might bore more casual viewers.

REVIEW:
Sammo Hung and Wu Ma star in this cornball, horror comedy that features low-budget special effects, lowbrow humor and a smidgeon of excellent kung fu. Falling somewhere between similar horror comedies "Spooky Encounters" (1980) and "Mr. Vampire" (1985), "The Dead and the Deadly" has a lot of great elements going into it but doesn't quite match the other two films.

Hung, who directed and starred in the superior "Spooky Encounters" finds himself in similar circumstances in this film. In both roles he is portrayed as the bungling commoner who ends up possessed which imbues him with greater kung fu skills. Even the opening sequences both involve a situation involving infidelity. Yet, "The Dead" frequently cultivates more black or base humor that doesn't mind taking a stab at death, sexual dysfunction, miscarriage, and woman's undergarments (used to ward off the supernatural). Although the film is rarely blatantly funny, there are moments worth savoring. For instance, there is a great extended scene where Hung dresses as a life-size paper doll (used in funerals) and attempts to perform an autopsy on his friend who is still playing dead.

One of the broader aspects of the film to be appreciated is that all of the characters are portrayed in a humorously unfavorable light with the exception of Fatboy's girlfriend who, coincidently ends up saving the day. Hung is a callus and cowardly oaf, while Wu Ma plays a sexually impotent and greedy opportunist, sporting a rather large and unflattering fake nose. Lam Ching-ying, who co-starred with Hung in "The Prodigal Son," plays an aging Taoist priest who can barely walk straight. This, of course was the role he was best remembered for and destined to play in "Mr. Vampire" as well as in several sequels and spin-offs (minus the old man guise).

The B-rated special effects and a limited number of fights are made up for by competent direction by Wu Ma and the quality of the fight choreography, something Sammo Hung is master of. Besides, the old-school feel of the effects like the final scene involving ghosts looking like they stepped out of Jabba the Hut's palace before morphing into Slimer's primitive cousins is pure genius. The keywords here are "campy" and "fun," elements most of today's low budget, computer effects films sadly lack.

REVIEW:
Deadful Melody is a classic movie unfairly criticized by hardcore swordsman movie fans. I won't reveal the plot details as to ruin your enjoyment, but I must tell you this is a brilliant movie. Much better than say, SWORDSMAN and FONG SAI YUK. The story brilliantly balances moments of drama, comedy, action and romance.

Brigitte Lin stars with Yuen Biao, complemented by a cast of Hong Kong stars such as Carina Lau (in her only swordsman style movie role) and Wu Ma. Brigitte Lin is wonderful as the sensual lyre playing master. While Yuen Biao is fantastic as the security guard sent out to deliver the magic lyre. The biggest surprise is Carina Lau who is supremely dynamic and manages to even outshine the likes of Wu Ma who is also brilliant.

The direction is also flawless. The magical effects are exhilarating, especially for a Hong Kong movie. The cinematography is fantastic and the storyline is really good.

The test for any movie is it's soundtrack, and I'm pleased to say the soundtrack in this movie is exhilarating. Especially the lyre pieces which are beautiful and haunting.

What can I say? All I can say, is see this underrated masterpiece and enjoy watching this, with fantastic performances all around, brilliant cinematography, an exhilarating soundtrack, flawless direction and a bitter-sweet denouement between the relationship between Yuen Biao and Carina Lau. What more could you want?

REVIEW:
The once great director, Lau Kar-leung hits an all-time low in his most recent and convoluted film that undeservedly follows the superior and unrelated DRUNKEN MASTER 2.

The film's greatest asset, the cast is almost completely wasted. First, as director and actor, Lau Kar-leung has been been involved in some of Hong Kong's best martial arts films for over two decades, including such Shaw Brothers classics as "36th Chamber of Shaolin" and "Dirty Ho." More recently, Lau was tapped by Jackie Chan to helm and co-star in his sequel to "Drunken Master." Although Lau appears in the completed version, he actually had left the production before completion, apparently over creative differences with Chan. Rumor has it that Lau set out to make his version of the sequel that ended up as "Drunken Master 3." While the principle character Wong Fei Hung is present, the film otherwise bears little resemblance to Chan's films. In this, "DM3" suffers greatly. Chan's trademark humor is replaced with a number of tired situation comedy sketches that never really generate laughs. Poor Willie Chi has some big shoes to fill as Wong Fei Hung and his role expectedly ends up as one of the worst portrayals ever. His martial arts performance is extremely average and his only trick is to ride an abacus like a skateboard. Trust me, its not anywhere near as funny as it might sound. Even Lau's presence on screen cannot help the situation much.

Michelle Lee gets perhaps the best role, probably because no one expects her to do any martial arts. Yet even she is unable to generate laughs or sympathy as the woman torn between two worlds. Adam Cheng ("Zu: Warriors from the Magic Mountain"), who always oozes charisma onscreen turns in another throwaway role as Fei Hung's father, proving that Hong Kong rarely knows how to capitalize on its best assets. I don't even want to talk about Simon Yam's juvenile display as a homosexual who takes a fancy to Fei Hung. It leads to the worst choreographed fight of the film. Andy Lau's character is unnecessary and Gordon Lau's antagonist role is undermined by a completely hokey subplot involving the White Lotus Sect, lead by a teenage Caucasian male who looks like he stepped off the cover of a "New Kids on the Block" album. The film also has the most contemporary look of any film involving Wong Fei Hung who incidentally lived around the turn of the twentieth century. One surreal scene involves a Halloween costume party that the White Lotus Sect engages in, complete with ghoulish masks and sparklers (?).

Martial arts fans will definitely be disappointed since even the best fights pale to anything seen in DRUNKEN MASTER 2. (The outtakes alone prove it.) To be fair, the film really has no relationship to the former. There are a few good bouts, usually involving Lau Kar-leung. Also, Lau's experience in the industry does him credit in the film by the fact that even a floundering story and mediocre action cannot stop DRUNKEN MASTER 3 from being at most a mildly entertaining effort.

REVIEW:
Everything that makes a Yuen Wo Ping film great is found in this fiery historical fantasy. Strong female characters, intense fighting, and generous portions of humor combine for an exciting martial arts adventure.

Undoubtedly, the real showstopper is the pyrotechnics, first seen in IRON MONKEY (1993). Flames blast out from walls, encompass Brigitte Lin's hands, and spread across water with reckless abandon. The finale ends up looking like Kuwaiti oil fields set ablaze. The action is furious at the beginning and end with a pause in the middle for Brigitte Lin's character to develop a change of heart. Brigitte manages another satisfyingly intense performance despite the unsuccessful comical rants of her costar, Sandra Ng. Expect to see more flying and superhuman feats similar to BUTTERFLY AND SWORD.

The old uncovering of the plot to overthrow the Emperor shtick is as common as a dead armadillo on Texas asphalt. FIRE DRAGON proves it since nothing unexpected or new shows up. At times, scenes felt like they were re-shot from other genre films. Too bad for this film though. Most of the rehashed elements worked better in other films. The romantic nonsense was funnier in Wo Ping's WING CHUN and Brigitte Lin's bittersweet performance had greater depth in THE BRIDE WITH WHITE HAIR. But despite all that, the film is still fun to watch thanks in part to the blazing stunt work.

With a film starring Brigitte Lin and directed by Wo Ping you'd be crazy not to have high expectations. The film meets those expectations but rarely pushes boundary. That still leaves us with a great film that's sure to please action fans.

REVIEW:
This is a better than average martial arts picture that has plenty of humor and creative fights but the plot becomes too scattered and the line between humor and drama is uneven.

The pace of the film is set right at the beginning with scenes of Red Flower Society members skimming across the water on rafts to attack the Chinese Emperor. Corey Yuen, a veteran Hong Kong choreographer who frequently works with Jet Li keeps the action coming and manages to pull off some truly unique imagery. Probably the most memorable scene occurs when Jet Li engages in a fight with Sibelle Hu while hopping on the heads of the spectators. The common use of powder or chalk layered on weapons and clothing for added explosive effect when making contact on screen was over done. Also, the increasingly common quick camera editing during close shots of fighting could have been toned down. Those are minor complaints though since the fighting is the best feature of the film.

The plot is not as evenly paced. The first half of the film is more of a comical version of Once Upon a Time in China. Jet Li even lampoons his own role in the film when Sai Yuk and his friends are released from incarceration, he tells them that he changed their names so as not to have their parents discover their arrest. As Sai Yuk begins to say his name, "Wong...", the familiar Wong Fei Hung music chimes in the background and he promptly finishes with "Jing". Josephine Siao, a long time Hong Kong actress steals the show as Sai Yuk's mischievous mother. Siao and Li have great chemistry onscreen as mother and son who seem to be more like brother and sister constantly getting into trouble behind father's back. The tone grows more dark in the second half when the heavy, Oryeetor catches up with Sai Yuk's family as Sibelle Hu's character is wounded and Sai Yuk's father is captured. Like most kung fu films, the revenge factor creeps up and not until the very end do we see a change in the film's mood.

This is a generally fun movie that is worth seeing. The choreography is well done and the characters are interesting, despite a fragmented plot.

REVIEW:
Despite extensive location shoots and plenty of action this B-rated, James Bond-like film starring Asian cult hero Sonny Chiba pales next to "The Street Fighter," his most infamous film character.

As usual, Chiba snarls and frowns his way through the film in his characteristically stiff but brutally charismatic performance as the mysterious hitman, Golgo 13. Unfortunately, all the other actors perform horridly, diminishing any credibility Chiba's character might have had. The film plays like a comic book come to life with goofy dialogue (at least in the English dubbing), two-dimensional characters and over-the-top violence. But any attempt to capitalize on this as a cult hit is lost as the overall effect just makes the film laughable for the wrong reasons.

Although much of the filming takes place in Hong Kong with a number of recognizable players, the fight choreography is handled poorly including dreaded roundhouse punches (usually associated with American film) swinging wide. Chiba, who isn't known for his graceful fighting style doesn't get to put his skills on display much and its a good thing since no one looks particularly flattering here.

With an interesting plot wasted on bad acting, worse choreography, and a lack of vision, "Golgo 13" has little to offer. Diehard fans of Chiba or '70's exploitation film might find something of interest here but others are advised to stand clear of this cooked turkey.

REVIEW:
There are many fans of "Journey to the West" and it should be noted that this film is a rather loose interpretation, although it comes closer to portraying some of the story's events than the American made-for-television film entitled "The Lost Empire" that co-starred Russell Wong as the Monkey King. "Heavenly Legend" is also much more entertaining with extensive martial arts combat, colorful characters, and liberal amounts of bathroom humor (if you're into that sort of thing).

"Heavenly Legend" does share production values with the previously mentioned film. Both contain special effects that never look polished or realistic but are frequently imaginative and enjoyable to watch. In "Heavenly Legend," Ba-jie morphs from a pig into a piggish-looking boy, Li Na-cha repeatedly slaps underwear onto the surface of a lake, causing huge explosions that rock the submerged water kingdom and a giant rock creature gets an earful from The Monkey King, literally.

The bulk of the film's story takes place before the Monkey King is imprisoned in a mountain by a Buddhist monk. It focuses on the misadventures of Li Na-cha, played by a talented young star named Shieh Shiao Long and the Monkey King, played by an equally talented Jimmy Lin. Both of these two actors were also featured in "Chivalrous Legend" (1999) with Lin playing the older version of the pair. Thanks in part to dynamic action choreography from Shiao De-Hu, the two get to show off some terrific moves, turning a potentially average fantasy piece into a fast-paced actioniere. Shiao Long has a tough, no-nonsense demeanor beyond his years that is only outmatched by his martial skills. This kid is simply amazing to watch. His performance in the film's opening scene is a definite highlight. Jimmy Lin, who ironically has a passing resemblance to Jimmy Wang Yu has less intensity but plenty of charm to match his physical skills. Hau Shao Wen's performance as the piglet will cause some to wince and others to laugh. The poor kid has to not only endure the indignantly of wearing a pig nose throughout the film but also has to traipse his portly little body around in the buff, fart on numerous unsuspecting victims and urinate on the villain.

The combination of poor special effects that look more dated than anything seen in Tsui Hark's classic "Zu: Warriors from the Magic Mountain" (1983), corny rubber masks and frequent juvenile humor will turn off some viewers and rightly so. But putting these elements aside, the film survives with a fun and spirited story featuring great martial arts action and engaging performances from the principle stars. There are few fantasy films produced in the East or West that deserve mention and although "Heavenly Legend" is hardly a masterpiece, it does stand as one of the better fantasy films produced in Hong Kong.

REVIEW:
Something that makes me angry is when a movie comes out that is so beautiful that everyone should see it, however no one goes to see it. Then a movie comes out a few years later, wins worldwide praise despite ripping off the other movie and wins a host of awards without acknowledging the other movie at all. The over-rated "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" ripped of this classic movie. If you're a fan of "CTHD" then you will love this movie.

Sang Sui directs this flawless masterpiece of cinema. Siu highlights issues such as the gap between the rich and the poor and the injustice caused by corruption to the poor beautifully. Yuen Biao stars as Li San (who at night is the Swallow Hero, a sort of Robin Hood). Despite helping the poor, he yearns to find his loved one who was cruelly raped and put in a brothel. Biao, who was born for this movie, gives such a diverse performance filled with anger, love, sadness, and even sometimes happiness. It's really incredible that to this day Yuen Biao has not received one Best Actor nomination from the Hong Kong Film Awards and even the Golden Horse Awards in Taiwan. This really is a terrible indictment on both these awards. Also, Athene Chu, who plays his loved one, gives a beautiful performance filled with yearning, who also deserved at least a Best Actress nomination at the Hong Kong Film Awards. The whole cast is wonderful and complements Yuen Biao and Athene Chu beautifully.

Wu Kam choreographs the fight scenes with such elegance that Yuen Biao seems to fight like a twenty year old. Wu Kam not only brings out the very best of every fighter but also emphasis beauty in the fight scenes. Some of the scenes that Wu Kam directs were ripped off by "CTHD." Sang Siu includes some wonderful wirework as Yuen Biao flies, walks over walls and exhilarates. The wirework in this movie had been directly ripped of by "CTHD."

The soundtrack is really wonderful too with the use of traditional Chinese instruments. Also, as this film was filmed in mainland China, the cinematography is beautiful. It really is wonderful and brings out the best of rural China.

Sang Siu and Wu Kam will go very far on the evidence of this. Sometimes a person lives and dies without seeing unseen masterpieces. This is one of them. If you ever get to see just one film throughout your whole life, then make it your goal to see "The Hero of Swallow." Copied by "CTHD," this is a masterpiece that comes only once a generation, if even that. One of the things I like about Yuen Biao is that his movies are not bound by the Hollywood conventional happy ending. This movie has a deeply sad but poetic and beautiful ending. The way Yuen Biao acts at the end will probably never be bettered. I dare you not to cry at the end of this beautiful and emotional movie.

REVIEW:
Yuen Biao is the most underrated martial artist of his generation. In my opinion his acrobatic skills outdo both Jackie Chan and Jet Lee although for some reason he isn't as highly rated as JC and JL.

This film, his finest, is actually a sort of sci fi/fantasy film. He stars as a warrior of the Ming Dynasty in the 16th century. He and his adversary are fighting and they both fall of a cliff and are frozen; only to be found in the 20th century by scientists and accidentally unfrozen. This film with it's fantasy plot could have been his worst but with his acting, the fighting and the outrageous comedy with the lovely femme fetale Maggie Cheung, this is a modern and all time classic.

The things Yuen Biao does in this film show why I rate his acrobatic skills higher than JC and JL. The comedy interplays with violent action with Yuen Wah's performance as a sadistic villain spot on. The script is pretty intelligent and the jokes come thick and fast making fun of the late 1980s seen through the 16th century eyes of Yuen Biao who discovers television, electricity and... toilets.

The jokes however aren't as glaringly obvious as Jackie Chan and some (very few) Jet Lee films (as very few Jet Li films are comedic if any); the humor is like an episode of The Simpsons. You have to recognize them, but when you do they are really funny and actually very intelligent and heartwarming jokes.

Maggie Cheung is absolutely brilliant in surely an Oscar winning role as the hard hearted hooker with a soft inside. She shows here that only she could have played this role perfectly. However Yuen Biao just steals the show from Maggie Cheung with his portrayal of a serious but innocently funny warrior. Also the chemistry between Yuen Biao and Maggie Cheung is absolutely electric. They really do sizzle when they are both on screen together.

Also, unlike Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung films, the humor is played with a straight face throughout and this film is the better for it. A modern classic with some great humor fused with some violent fights and the best acting I have ever seen. The ending also has a wonderful bitter-sweet denouement. One more thing is the soundtrack. It is absolutely wonderful and the best bits are the xylophone and the violin when Yuen Biao messes up some very simple house tasks. Surely this film defined the words "all time classic".

REVIEW:
This is a classic of the 1990's string of kung fu films that started with The Swordsman (1990), both produced by Tsui Hark. Yuen Wo Ping puts his imaginative choreography through its paces as characters gracefully execute blistering martial skills. Like many of Wo Ping's films, realism is stretched to allow for fantastic leaps and unbelievable coordination. Wo Ping really has crafted a style all his own that seems to continue to infiltrate Hollywood (witness Charlie's Angels or The Matrix). The story involving a young Wong Fei-hung is actually played by a young girl, Tsang Sze-man. The movie is somewhat of a prequel to "Once Upon A Time In China" directed by Tsui Hark which features the legendary Fei-hung as an adult. The story is well thought out with solid performances and enjoyable humor thrown in. At one point, officials are rounding up anyone associated with 'monkeys' in general including one unfortunate soul who happened to be scratching himself in an apparent 'simian' fashion at the wrong time.

Nothing remarkable as far as the DVD goes. Standard trailer, incomplete filmography, and various subtitles. The real treat is in the audio and video departments. The availability of Cantonese, Mandarin and English audio tracks is great and the quality is good except that the English dub is too quiet. The letterboxed video transfer is clear.

Iron Monkey is much better than the original Iron Monkey or the sequel, Iron Monkey 2 that Wo Ping had no involvement with. All in all, this film is a top notch modern kung fu film that runs at its own breakneck pace and follows each wonderfully choreographed fight with another. This one must be seen and should be owned by DVD collectors.

REVIEW:
Directed by Wu Ma, who had previously directed Yuen Biao in the ghost story classic PORTRAIT OF A NYMPH in 1988, this film focuses on the students of the Wong Fei Hong legend.

Yuen Biao, who starred in ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA, then found that most of scenes had been cut out, made this seminal classic in which he teamed up again with Wu Ma to star in his own take of the Wong Fei Hong legend. Although Wu Ma rather wisely focuses on the students of Wong Fei Hong rather than the Wong Fei Hong himself as the ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA series had done. Also starring is Wu Ma himself and the fantastic Yuen Wah (this would be the last film where he and Yuen Biao would fight. Although they were in HERO (1997) they didn't fight in that movie) who is great as the opium smuggling chief.

Yuen Biao plays Lau Zhai, a student of Wong Fei Hong (but not inducted formally yet), who has a unfairly bad reputation throughout the community who gets framed for smuggling opium. Yuen Biao shows some incredible footwork and so does Yuen Wah. Their end fight at the end is a great highlight of the movie.

Although the first part of the movie is pretty slow, as Wu Ma tries to establish the characters and the storyline, it picks up in the second half where the movie is fantastic.

Backed by a great supporting cast, in which virtually all of them would team up again to star with Yuen Biao, a year later to star in the Wu Ma directed CIRCUS KID. Yuen Biao gives a refreshingly diverse performance which ranges from playfulness, sorrow, anger, love and so much that I could go on for ever.

The choreography of this film is fantastic, letting both Yuen Biao and Yuen Wah shine. Wu Ma, directs with some lovely sweeping camera angles. The production values are very high too. Wu Ma must be given credit for focusing on a number of characters rather than one.

This movie is a fantastic movie. However this movie doesn't have that certain sparkle most Yuen Biao movies have. Despite that this movie should be seen by any fan of the Hong Kong martial arts movie genre.

REVIEW:
Yuen Biao's first and only directorial effort is an impressive, largely different offering from the usual Hong Kong action fare.

Shot partly on location in Tibet, the story tells of a young monk Wong La (Yuen Biao) who meets up with a crippled lawyer who wants to return the sacred Babu Gold Bottle, which is in possession of his dying client. And so Wong La must go to Hong Kong along with a feisty representative (played with some considerable panache by Michelle Reis). The Babu Gold Bottle is a powerful magic bauble which was used by the Tibetan monks to expel the evil Black section when they tried to conquer Tibet years ago. Now the Black section, lead by the always excellent Yuen Wah find out about the hand-over of the Babu Gold Bottle and are on Wong La's tail.

Yuen Biao's concoction of magic, good-versus-evil, fish-out-of-water tale along with some fight scenes makes for a highly enjoyable movie. Made just three years after the classic "The Iceman Cometh," Yuen Biao again plays a little on the fish-out-of-water scenario. Although despite not being as funny as the aforementioned movie, it's still very funny in it's own right.

The cast is uniformly impressive. With the under-rated Michelle Reis a standout and Yuen Biao's off-the-wall portrayal of a monk a delight.

Although there aren't many fight scenes in the movie, they are expertly choreographed by both Biao and Wah. In fact, their duel is fantastic, although a bit on the short side.

A minus point of the film is that some of the special effects are a bit poor. However, some of the Tibetan magic special effects and the pyrotechnic displays of power and stunt-work is impressive.

"A Kid from Tibet" isn't a classic. It is a highly-enjoyable movie and unlike other Hong Kong action movies, it has an abundance of plot, which has some satire and some nice points between the new (Hong Kong and it's high-tech scenery etc) and the old (Tibet, etc). And there's some brilliant camera-work, which include some lovely sweeping shots which show some breathtaking views of Tibet. The direction of Yuen Biao is also very impressive. It's a bit of a shame he hasn't directed anything else, as he shows great potential.

"A Kid from Tibet" is also a change of pace from the high-octane ammunition flicks of the Hong Kong genre with a blink-and-you'll-miss cameo from someone special. If you're looking for something different, or even if you're not, it's well worth a watch.

REVIEW:
A Shaw Brothers classic directed by the great Chang Cheh re-teams actors from the FIVE DEADLY VENOMS for a terrific kung fu tale of heroes defending a gold shipment from bandits. Cheh (SUPER NINJAS) produced some of the most entertaining martial arts films at Shaw Brothers during their kung fu bonanza years in the 1970's and early 1980's. Known for his graphic yet cartoon-like violence and memorable characters, Cheh's follow-up to the outrageous FIVE DEADLY VENOMS (1978) is a non-stop kung fu ride filled with just about everything a fan could want.

As the story goes, the Chi Sah gang has carved a challenge to an escort service on the back of one of its members that the gold they will be escorting will be stolen. The heroes, swordsman Li, his girlfriend Miss Ling, Long Axe, and Short Axe are called to help defend the gold from a gang led by Golden Arm. His associates include the Silver Spear, Iron Robe, and Brass Head, all specializing in different kung fu styles. If that isn't enough, a mysterious government agent named Hai To keeps thwarting the gang's efforts with his drunken kung fu. The kung fu experts on both sides seem fairly evenly matched except for Golden Arm whose arms deflect blades with ease and Hai To whose mastery of kung fu is matched only by his thirst for wine. Cheh puts in a nice twist at the end where a villain called Iron Feet is introduced. It ends up a three way match between Golden Arm, Hai To and Iron Feet.

But still, the real brilliance of this film is the careful balance of campy drama, action and humor that generally make old school kung fu movies great. Wei Pai plays the heavy role of Li Chin Ming whose struggle to prove himself to be a great and noble swordsman creates a rift between himself and his love, Miss Ling and sours his relationship with the drunken official, Hai To who is trying to help him. Looking past the silly costumes and campy dialogue the film does make an effort to speak about the universal themes of corruption. In fact, many of the characters in the film are undone by selfishness. When two guards escorting the gold decide to steal it and run away, they are unwittingly killed by poison on the gold itself. Swordsman Li is overcome, not by greed but by pride as he goes to prove his swordsmanship against Golden Arm, spurning the advice of Hai To. Hai To sums it up himself when he says, "With some its money. With others, fame. Its man's nature."

The humor is more subtle but runs throughout. The drunk, Hai To played by Phillip Kwok takes a stab at emulating the characteristics already made famous by Jackie Chan in DRUNKEN MASTER. He sloshes wine around, bemoaning the loss of a broken jar while men try to kill him. The result is not as humorous but counterbalances the more austere Li and Miss Ling. The two axe men, Long Axe and Short Axe keep a friendly rivalry going as to how many bandits each one can kill. Less successful is the stock soundtrack that frequently plays the right music at the wrong time, evoking conflicting emotions.

Aside from a number of missing frames that chop up the dialogue, and the fact that Cheh doesn't break any new ground, KID WITH THE GOLDEN ARM remains a superior effort and this version is highly recommended.

REVIEW:
In 1983, Tsui Hark wrote and directed "Zu: Warriors from the Magic Mountain," an unrestrained effort of visually stunning proportions that revolutionized fantasy in Hong Kong film, a genre that had gone out of fashion years before. In "The Legend of Zu," Tsui recast the film to take advantage of the computer effects wizardry available. What has resulted is another unrestrained effort of visually stunning proportions, yet hardly revolutionary.

The ambitious and at times confusing story begins as King Sky (Ekin Cheng), the sole survivor of the Kun Lun clan witnesses the death of Dawn (Cecilia Cheung), his mentor by a demon named Insomnia who manifests itself in the form of thousands of flying skulls. Flash forward 200 years and Insomnia has returned to the Zu mountains to lay waste to the Omei clan, led by the powerful and righteous Whitebrows (Sammo Hung Kam-po). Unable to defeat the clan outright, Insomnia tricks the clan members into opening the Blood Cave, a powerful force within the mountains that begins to drain the power from all the remaining clans. Troubles mount as the two guardians of Omei fail to merge the power of their Heaven and Thunder Swords resulting in the death of Thunder Sword wielder. Meanwhile, the clan's eldest brother, Red is possessed by Amnesia, a pixie-like demon that escaped from the Blood Cave. Later, King Sky is roasted while trying to restore the memories of his former mentor to her reincarnated form, now known as Enigma. As the remaining guardian of Omei, Enigma's spirit is stolen by Amnesia and her body is hidden in the Blood Cave. The only hope for the Omei clan and the world is in Ying (Wu Jing), appointed by fate to wield the Thunder Sword despite the fact that his power remains dormant. In the end, King Sky is rejuvenated and must combat his old friend, Red while Ying and Enigma must combine their power to destroy Insomnia once and for all.

The story may sound confusing and it is. Tsui Hark, who not only produced and directed the feature, also wrote it. While covering the same topic of the first "Zu" film, this story is definitely different and employs different characters. Tsui combines classic storytelling elements with his usual brand of manically paced action, coupled with an insane amount of visual effects to create a mixed bag of sorts. There are classic Chinese themes present such as honor among brothers and devotion to one's master. There are also classic storytelling elements found in any culture's mythology such as men seduced by an evil masquerading as beauty. Unfortunately for Western audiences, this film assumes the viewer is familiar with Chinese mythology and the series of written stories on which this film was based, dispensing with explanations after a short introduction.

Like its predecessor, "The Legend of Zu" leans heavily on a desire to wow you with jaw dropping visuals. The digital effects are certainly impressive, although not always convincing. At times, the sheer amount of eye candy jumps at you so frantically that its hard to register it all. This overkill actually diminishes the overall impact on the the story. Yet, the effects are mostly engaging even when you're not sure about what is happening.

Ricky Ho's score for the film is spectacular by Hong Kong standards and lends an authority to the film that the spastic effects attempt to steal. The actor's performances manage remarkably well considering that they were almost all shot before a green screen with little or no interaction with the onscreen environment. Cecilia Cheung delivers the most engaging performance thanks to her charming beauty and sultry voice (I could listen to her talk all day but I digress). Zhang Ziyi is wasted in a throwaway role, although she does get to engage in the only conventional swordfight in the film. Sammo Hung is likewise in a throwaway role who, sort of reprises his role in "Zu: Warriors" as the white-bearded sage.

In the end, "The Legend of Zu" is thwarted by its own exuberance. While impressive, too much time and energy is spent on the effects, effectively numbing the senses and crowding out emotion while an overly-ambitious story may confuse some viewers. With cutting edge digital effects, a solid cast and an exhilarating score, Tsui Hark's re-casting of his 1983 epic is an entertaining ride that relies too heavily on it's lavish "light show" effects, failing to push the genre into new territory.

REVIEW:
On Yuen Biao's exceptional filmography where virtually every film on it is a classic in it's own right, this is a huge disappointment.

Firstly, this isn't really a Yuen Biao movie (thank goodness), despite being listed first in the credits under the name of Yuen Bill. Yuen Biao is in this movie for about a total of only 30 minutes.

The problem with this film is virtually everything. Firstly the plot is appalling. Even "gweilo in exile" Bey Logan would have a problem writing a script as bad as this. The major problem is that it really doesn't make sense. The plot lumbers from one illogical step to another. It is a travesty. It really is.

Also, the soundtrack, which can make or break a movie, is annoyingly repetitive. Go and watch other Yuen Biao classics such as The Iceman Cometh and Mr Vampire 2 and just see how brilliant their soundtracks are and wholly complement the actual movie. Here the music must have been composed by a toddler.

The direction by Philip Ko is terrible. Although, he does show some very few glimpses of talent throughout. The acting by the main actor is terrible (he can't fight as well, despite being handed most of the fights in the movie). However Yuen Biao is flawless as always. The fights in this movie are so badly choreographed a baby could have choreographed them better. Saying that Yuen Biao is so talented, when he fights, he actually makes the choreography look good.

The end fight really is shockingly short (about a minute). And it doesn't help the fight is 3 on 1 (3 god guys, one bad guy). The bad guy, Chin Siu Ho, who was in the fantastic Fist of Legend, gets only like a minute throughout the whole movie to show his talent and even then at the end he is lumbered with terrible choreography. The only film that could have saved this movie would have been to let Yuen Biao and Chin Sui Ho fight at the end one-on-one but it wasn't to be.

All in all, this is not really a Yuen Biao movie. Everything really does smack of badness. But I guess the laws of averages must mean that even Yuen Biao has to have a bad movie somewhere on his filmography. Here's a tip for you. Disregard this as a Yuen Biao movie (as he is only in it for less than 30 minutes) and just watch his other movies to show yourself how great Yuen Biao really is.

REVIEW:
This is one terrific martial arts film that features some truly incredible choreography highlighting newcomer, Yuen Jeung's jaw-dropping acrobatic abilities.

The story about a comic book artist turned kung fu hero is essentially a comic book itself combining realistic kung fu, reinforced by long time director and actor, Lau Kar Leung ("Drunken Master 2") and fanciful elements like the scorpion technique that Yuen Jeung (Sunny) performs with tremendous speed and grace. The addition of Frankie Chin as a muscled hero expounding on the virtues of strength and eating meat versus rice is entertaining. The bout between Jean Pol and Sunny, showcasing strength versus agility is a delight to watch. Not surprisingly, the director leans in favor of finesse over brute force, forcing Uncle Yi and Yu Shu to alter their skills to defeat Sunny. Another nice touch is Yu Shu's artistic abilities which prove useful since he has been drawing Sunny's fighting styles throughout the film and in essence analyzing them to develop counter moves.

My only real complaint is the fact that much of the film is shot at night or in shadows with artificial lighting and smoke, making it hard to see the combatant's in detail. On the positive side, the film's look contains texture in the way that Sam Raimi managed in his first comic book to movie conversion, "Darkman" that captured the visually dramatic essence of comic books.

Although relatively unknown in the West, "Operation Scorpion" ranks as one of the most entertaining martial arts films of the nineties. With a great performance by Lau Kar Leung, a well paced story and topped by Yuen Jeung's rapid kicks, flips, and tumbles, this film is sure to please.

REVIEW:
In this remarkable take on the vigilante genre, Corey Yuen had assembled some of the best martial arts practitioners from Hong Kong and America to lock horns. With a ultra-grim tale of good guys gone bad, the film explodes with enough frenzied fights and spectacular stunts to send Charles Bronson running for cover.

"Righting Wrongs" is Hong Kong's answer to the "Dirty Harry" and Charles Bronson vigilante films in the U.S. The story itself is a rather bleak portrayal of police corruption and civil apathy. Eventually, all of the main characters are willing to bend the law to varying degrees to suit their needs. Yet, the price to pay is high as few players remain alive by the end. In fact, the original Cantonese version was dark enough to warrant shooting new scenes for the international (Mandarin) version. Corey Yuen's incredible choreography shines regardless of the film's tone.

Speaking of tone, the lighting on the film was generally not very good. Its a small complaint but valid. Often, shots of combatants were left in the dark with not enough highlight, slightly diminishing otherwise excellent scenes.

Yuen Biao was at his peak, having recently turned in excellent performances in Sammo Hung's "Eastern Condors" (1986) and "Millionaire's Express" (1986). Being one of Biao's best showcase films, there are a number of terrific sequences that have him nimbly ducking speeding cars, trading blows with Cynthia Rothrock, and engaging in a glass-shattering brawl with Peter Cunningham. One of the unique features of this film is the choice of cast. A number of American actors, namely Rothrock, Cunningham, and an equally devastating Karen Shepherd look just as good as their Asian counterparts. This is thanks, in part to the incredible choreography of Corey Yuen ("Kiss of the Dragon"). Cynthia Rothrock was a world champion martial artist whose mastery of wushu, Eagle Claw, and Northern Shaolin kung fu gave her a distinct advantage over other American martial arts film stars. While her subsequent American films have suffered due to inferior choreography, "Righting Wrongs" remains a testament to her potential on screen and is perhaps her best role overall. Cunningham and Shepherd have both appeared in only several inferior American films. But once again with the right direction, these two give Biao and Rothrock a run for their money in two excellent fight scenes.

Even though this film appears visually attached to the eighties, "Righting Wrongs" is still great to watch and remains a good introduction to the world of Hong Kong action cinema. The fights are well paced and intense with terrific performances by all the martial arts stars. Thankfully, this tempers a dismal story of vengeance where righting a wrong doesn't make a right and the only rule is: everybody dies.

REVIEW:
This is a film with solid choreography, a great cast and a potentially compelling plot that suffers from weak pacing and clichéd character development.

Donnie Yen, directs, choreographs, and stars in one of his last Hong Kong films before moving on to German television and Hollywood. Being the protégé of master choreographer Yuen Woo Ping has helped Yen develop and act in terrific fight scenes. Yen's character has several clashes with the Axe Gang's leader played by a Yu Rong Guang that involve a lot of grappling and kicking. The highlight is the final match that involves an axe being tossed on the end of a chain. Donnie keeps the fight scenes exciting with the use of various camera techniques and warped perspectives. Unfortunately, Hong Kong's use of talcum powder to accentuate the force of a hit is way overdone here. In the opening melee, half of the participants are covered in this mysterious white powder shortly after the first punch is thrown.

I'm a big fan of Yu Rong Guang who definitely had the best role in the film and really plays it well. He is Yue Lo-Chi, leader of the Axe Gang and typically ruthless. What allows his character some depth is the fact that his sister played by the lovely Athena Chu has a condition where she hasn't been able to speak for 15 years. Of course our hero, Tang Shan played by Yen is a doctor able to cure her and Yu who loves his sister greatly is grateful. As a filmmaker, Yen is smart enough to let Yu run with the conflict, not in so many words or actions but in body language and facial expressions. While the plot does sabotage itself by being too predictable and at times overly dramatic, if anyone makes it work its Yu. He plays the heavy the way Robert De Niro snarled his way through The Untouchables. Yu plays to the camera, cocky and supremely confident. Although seen more recently by American audiences in Jackie Chan's "Shanghai Noon" as one of the guards who travels to the States, its "Shanghai Affairs" that gives Yu one of the best roles he ever had.

Getting back to the plot, Yen has a good one on his hands but the tension and fight scenes are too sporadic. After an opening brawl in the small village the film focuses on the relationship between Tong and Shen, the gang leader's sister and her recovery. The few martial engagements that do take place seemed forced as the tension between Tong and Yue fizzle. One unintentionally humorous scene has the Axe gang busting into the hospital where Tang is operating on Shen. It's attempts to add gripping tension is defused by the improbability of the situation. Only when the focus shifts back to the disappearance of children in the village and Bond's death do we see a more plausible tension return. But even then, I felt cheated because the real villain who has the Axe gang do his dirty work is written out as if it were an afterthought. This is where one of Hong Kong's greatest weaknesses shows. Hong Kong filmmakers are notorious for crafting scripts on the fly and sometimes just making things up as they go along. Although it can add a fresh blast of spontaneity to an action scene, dialogue and other dramatic elements suffer as a result.

If the story had been written with the various subplots tied more closely and the action more evenly paced this film could have been much better. As it stands, "Shanghai Affairs" is a showcase for some great Donnie Yen martial arts action if you don't mind waiting for it. Yu Rong Guang keeps the villains credible while the compelling theme of a poor village exploited by supposedly benevolent powers is should have been more fully exploited.

REVIEW:
Another tale of nationalism begins as Fong Ping (Hsu Feng) and her fellow escorts are taking King Tan south, out of the grasp of the Ching Emperor when the party is stopped in a town and Tan is imprisoned, although his captors are unaware that he is the Ming Emperor. Ping is joined by her brother, Shou Chan (Carter Wong) in an attempt to rescue Tan. Their first attempt is unsuccessful but their second succeeds and King Tan is hidden in Shaolin Temple. Yet Ching spies lurk even in Shaolin and the Ching governor agrees to a plan to capture King Tan devised by Mai Yu Ming, an assassin who wields the Bloody Birds, a set of razer-sharp, spinning blades. The governor, Yu Ming and a small band of Ching infiltrate Shaolin with the aid of their spy only to discover a carefully set trap. Yu Ming soon turns on his former allies in a single-minded bid to find the 18 form of kung fu but Ping and Shou Chan are prepared to stop him.

"Shaolin Kung Fu Mystagogue" is a generous grab bag of kung fu conventions. There is Ching vs. Ming conflict, Shaolin temple scenes, loads of traps, tons of outrageous weapons, and mounds of wicked kung fu action. None of it is particularly convincing, the wobbly spikes protruding from moving walls, powered by paper thin gears is laughable, but still, its fun to watch. The so-called Bloody Birds is one of the best weapons ever conceived of in kung fu film. The wielder unsheathes folded and serrated blades that become saws of doom that scream as they fly through the air, cutting down men and trees with deadly accuracy before returning to their owner. Other interesting weapons include a three-section sword that unfolds, spinning discs with lighted candles mounted on them, not to mention numerous other chained projectiles that impale their victims and once yanked free, spring from their owner to strike again.

Hsu Feng ("A Touch of Zen) stars in one of her lesser roles, although her stern portrayals always add a bit of validity to these inconceivable plots. Carter Wong has the charisma of a block of wood but the overused plot doesn't really ask for anything more so he fits right in with the rest of the cast who manage to maintain the dubious integrity of a B-grade kung fu flick.

While the story, acting and production values are below standard, some dynamic editing employing close-ups, the use of appropriate music and a plethora of gimmicky props makes "Shaolin Kung Fu Mystagogue" a reasonably entertaining film.

REVIEW:
I bought this film fearing quite a bit. After all, despite having Yuen Biao, the greatest Hong Kong actor/martial artist ever, could he really star in a film with no martial arts scenes at all? (not even one kick). Well how wrong could I be?! One thing I must mention though is an absolutely incredible stunt Yuen Biao does at the beginning of the movie. It has to be seen to be believed.

Director Ronnie Yu (a brilliant Capra-esque director, also one of the best directors in the world, but largely underrated), who directed this before directing the acclaimed "The Bride with White Hair," delivered here an enjoyable, moving and highly underrated gem which has been virtually all but forgotten. Yuen Biao is credited in the starring role, despite the film focusing more on Leon Lai. Ng Man-Tat is the kind-hearted owner of an apartment and restaurant in a poor deprived area of Hong Kong. Yuen Biao plays his uncle (also a cook) and Leon Lai a rich kid who runs away and finds the family atmosphere of the neighborhood much more appealing.

Yu has an eye for direction much like American director, Frank Capra. Yu highlights issues such as the importance of family over money. Ronnie Yu also draws incredible performances from the cast, especially Yuen Biao and Ng Man-Tat. However, one minor quibble of the movie [spoiler] is that the third section of the movie suffers due to Yuen Biao's absence. Despite the fact he turns up about 5 minutes from the end. He is actually absent again at the end of the movie which was very disappointing, but to be fair, the end credits focus on Yuen Biao's character.

This film was released in Hong Kong, at the beginning of 1992 when the Hong Kong public watch New Year's movies highlighting mostly Chinese New Year etc. Since the film's storyline is about cooking, it immediately appealed to the Hong Kong public and deservedly so.

In a day and age of high tech and big budget movies such as the absolutely awful "Pearl Harbor," this film is a breath of fresh air. This is a wonderful, warm-hearted and touching gem of a Lunar New Year movie, highlighted by the utterly incredible scenes of Yuen Biao preparing meals as only he can.

REVIEW:
This is definitely a new breed of Hong Kong action film with digital effects to match or even outdo most Hollywood productions. Of course we all know eye candy does not make a film entertaining by itself if we use "Dungeons & Dragons" (2000) for example. Both films use a fantasy environment with plenty of fantastic imagery but where D&D fails, "The Storm Riders" manages to sustain the viewers' interest in the characters and their exploits. Unfortunately, they share the mistake of overwhelming the viewer with effects that actually steal intensity from the film. There are a number of well played moments and the effects certainly are well done but some of the flair is missing. Its a certain element where human emotions and skill simply give way to overwhelming otherworldly power. Perhaps I pine for the days when Dr. Frankenstein screamed in triumph as his face lit up from the glow of pulsating electric gizmos in glorious black and white.

The addition of several great genre actors like Yu Rong-guang ("Shanghai Affairs") and Sonny Chiba ("The Street Fighter") is a real treat. Even Anthony Wong Chau-sang, a terrific and prolific actor best known for his award winning performance as the cannibalistic serial killer in "Bunman: The Untold Story" shows up, portraying an aging master swordsman.

The sheer creativity involved and visual splendor is enough to highly recommend this film. Despite misgivings about too much reliance on visual effects, "The Storm Riders" delivers when it comes to providing an entertaining and enjoyable modern fantasy.

REVIEW:
Made in the same year as his other swordsman style classic "Deadful Melody," Yuen Biao stars in this impressive, seminal classic.

Directed very differently by Cheung Hoi-Ching, Yuen Biao plays a chief constable on the tail of the mysterious Golden Snake Man who also appears to be a killer, (played very impressively by Danny Lee). Unlike most one-dimensional 'bad guys' who are in most movies, director Cheung Hoi-Ching masterfully weaves a complicated back-story of the Golden Snake Man's (Danny Lee) past. While Danny Lee's immaculate acting gives his character a three-dimensional shape. Also, director Cheung Hoi-Ching surrounds Yuen Biao with a dynamic cast filled with wonderfully varied characters played brilliantly by the cast (which includes Ng Man-Tat, Anita Mui and the impressive Man Cheung). The two love stories between the two main protagonists (Yuen Biao and Danny Lee) are both diverse and complicated.

Although some people have complained that the story-line is too difficult to follow, this is probably because the current flow of films are very brainless (unfortunately), so nowadays most people complain when an movie which appeals to a person of an IQ of over 5 comes out.

While made in the same year as the wonderful "Deadful Melody," these two swordsman style movies are very different. This movie contains a haunting soundtrack and an immaculate performances from the whole cast. The direction and the cinematography itself is nothing short of wonderful.

What director Cheung Hoi-Ching does so masterfully is surround himself with all of the above and a beautifully orchestrated fight at the end. And unlike most swordsman movies, "The Sword Stained with Royal Blood" has a huge diverse universe of characters all with a back story, with an intelligent storyline and a bitter-sweet denouement with the love story between Yuen Biao and Man Cheung. "The Sword Stained with Royal Blood" is an uncommon piece of swordsman style movie. Assured, intelligent, patient, meditative and different.

REVIEW:
Every element of a classic Yuen Woo Ping film is represented in this highly satisfying Jet Li vehicle. Woo Ping has a knack for combining exuberant humor, intense action and dazzling martial arts choreography that is seen here in full force. A highlight among numerous entertaining battles occurs when Michelle Yeoh is squared off against another female in a restaurant. They twirl and crash over tables, tossing chairs high. Yeoh ends up on stilts, kicking with incredible grace. Although little romance was written into their teaming, Li and Yeoh have a solid chemistry that makes one consider what "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" might have been like with Li in Chow Yun Fat's role as originally intended.

According to John Charles in his book, "The Hong Kong Filmography, 1977-1997" Donnie Yen was to have originally played Tianbao. While a second pairing of Yen and Li after "Once Upon a Time in China 2" would have been great, Chin Siu-ho deserves credit for giving a terrific performance as the villain. Early on, there is a desire to see Tianbao side with Junbiao. Instead, Chin turns Tianbao into an increasingly evil villain. Even the fighting styles are consciously designed to highlight the opposing personalities of Junbao and Tianbao. Tianbao's personality is overbearing and cruel so his kung fu is the same. In one scene, he almost loses favor with his master, a white-haired eunuch named Liu Jing due to his obscene cruelty when fighting. In contrast, Junbao is in harmony with the world, finding peace in everyday affairs. It is natural for him to embrace the teachings of Tai Chi which encourage a balance with nature and movement. The final battle between the two is a splendidly choreographed example of these two polar opposites.

While the part where Junbao dips into an overdone state of shock disrupts the flow of the story a bit, Woo Ping's "The Tai Chi Master" is one of his best. Top notch performances by Li and Yeoh with brilliant action scenes makes this a must see film.

REVIEW:
It stars Donnie Yen. It's directed by Yuen Woo Ping. These two names should be enough to make any martial arts movie fan want to see this film. It is indeed a classic HK action film, with amazing stunt-work and fight scenes. Donnie moves great as usual, even better than his fights in In the line of duty 4. Michael Woods is his opponent once again, and a long-haired John Salvitti (whom you may remember as the crazy motorcycle killer from In the line of duty 4) has a great swordfight with Donnie. John is an old friend of Donnie, and an old student of The Chinese Wushu Research Institute in Boston. Both Michael and John are exceptionally talented martial artists (especially Michael, who moves with incredible agility considering his size) but Donnie steals the show once again with his unique fighting style. He has amazing kicking ability with both legs, and great boxing skills as evident from his fight with Robin Shou's character, Wilson. Robin Shou plays a frighteningly strong bad guy here and in one scene beats the crap out of David Wu ( a former Chinese MTV host). I have to give credit to David for his great efforts. He really does some work here although he is not a martial artist. Rosamund Kwan is also great as the innocent but smart Mary.

Beware, there are two versions of this film out there. One ends with Cynthia Khan arresting Robin Shou (the English version), and another where Donnie fights with Robin (the Chinese version). I like them both because I can always watch Cynthia beat somebody up! She and Moon Lee are the best female kung fu stars of all time, no doubt.

Tiger Cage 2 has enough action scenes to satisfy any hardcore martial arts movie fan. If you can,try watching it as a double-feature with 'In the line of duty 4',another classic HK action film.These are two of Donnie's best films.

REVIEW:
THE ASSASSIN is a stylish and bloody film featuring some terrific actors, including Zhang Feng-yi (FAREWELL MY CONCUBINE) and Rosamund Kwan in an ambitious yet dizzying story that may leave viewers frustrated at first glance.

This colorful film sports impressive outdoor imagery, menacing sets, and fanciful fights that could have come from Tsui Hark's masterpiece, THE BRIDE WITH WHITE HAIR. The film also earned a category III rating for containing absolutely fiendish graphic violence where huge swords cleave limbs and vicious metal claws tear apart unsuspecting victims. The rapid pace of editing seen throughout the film (more on that later), greatly enhances the first scene where we see Tong engage in his first assignment with his cohorts. As the objectives and assigned positions are described to the assassins, the camera quickly pans through the narrow street, showing each assassin waiting in his hiding spot. Incredibly, one assassin even waits submerged in a nearby body of water covered with ice. Once the battle erupts, the camera deftly slides left down one side of the street, scrolling through the carnage.

While the choreography is pure fantasy, the story's grim tone and the leading actors' somber performances keep the film from leaping completely past the realm of reality. Zhang Feng-yi plays the lead with no emotion and appears appropriately weary at times. His martial counterpart is Wong, played by Max Mok who is less convincing in his role as a ruthless killer. Rosamund Kwan's character, Yiu gets less screen time than she should have considering the character's relationship to Tong.

What the actors cannot help is the story's manic pace and abrupt editing. While modern action films from Hong Kong are well known for their visually high-octane editing, THE ASSASSIN appears to have taken that style to heart with the story's pacing as well. Most scenes appear hurried and the story, which must have taken place over a couple of years is presented in a "Foot Notes" fashion as if the filmmakers were either pressured to keep the film short or significant cuts took place in post-production.

Its unfortunate that the film's story which has potential is marred by poor editing. The actors have little else to do but try and keep up. Against other swordplay films such as THE BLADE and Wong Kar Wai's ASHES OF TIME, that both mixed grim realism with stylish editing, THE ASSASSIN marginally holds its own thanks to the raw intensity of its violence and snatches of inspired cinematography.

REVIEW:
The infamous "Venoms" return under the masterful direction of Chang Cheh in a less ambitious title that still manages to entertain.

Cheh is almost as well known for his ambitious plots of subterfuge as for his penchant for spilling buckets of red dye number 5. While there is certainly a fair quantity of the later, its the plot that ranks somewhat below Cheh's standard. Philip Kwok is the noble hero who finds himself on the short end of the stick when it comes to choosing a successor to the Iron Flag crew. He spends the majority of the film fending off member's of the Ten Killers of the Underworld which is thankfully the most enjoyable part of the film. These colorful characters include "The Fortune Teller" who poses as a cripple, "The Killer Butcher" who ends up looking like a stuck pig in more ways than one, and "The Bookkeeper" with an abacus you can count on seeing as a weapon. Aside from the prerequisite impalings found in all good Cheh films, the vigorous action sports lots of flag waving kung fu and lethal projectiles similar to those found in 99 Cycling Swords.

Although missing Venom's alumni Fu Sheng, Flag of Iron is a solid entry in the Venoms series of films. The other stars all perform well with Philip Kwok (aka Kuo Chui) giving a characteristically strong performance in the lead role. A lackluster plot is likewise bolstered by entertaining fights done the way only Chang Cheh knows best. This is a worthy entry in the Venoms series and certainly worth a look.

REVIEW:
Phillip Kwok and Lo Mang are the perfect comic team in this relatively lighthearted Chang Cheh and Venoms collaboration.

Ying (Phillip Kwok) and Chun (Lo Meng) are two young men in their prime, stuck with menial jobs. When their bosses are away, they spar and dream of becoming famous kung fu fighters. For about the first 25 minutes, the film takes on a humorous and laidback tone that is by no means dull. Kwok is right at home with his usual comical approach to kung fu and he also performs some terrific acrobatics. Meng's entire interaction with his character's boss, a bean curd shop owner is a riot. The two befriend Chu Tsai (Sun Chien) who is being ostracized at his kung fu school.

Eventually, the main plot begins when we witness the white-browed Pai Mei, famed for being the traitorous priest who burned down Shaolin Temple corner several of the school's remaining heroes. San Te (portrayed by Gordon Liu in "The 36th Chamber of Shaolin") and Feng Shi-yu (aka "Fong Sai Yuk") are murdered while Hung Si Kuan escapes with his life. Turned away by Chu Tsai's teacher, Feng ends up in the care of the three young men who struggle to find the money necessary to bring him back to health. But the medicine proves to be their undoing when a spy figures out that Chu Tsai is harboring the rebel. Nearly captured, Feng and his three companions decide to hide at Chu's school. After defeating the school's teacher, the four plus Han Chi (Chiang Sheng) are trapped by Kau Ching-cheung (Lu Feng) and his small band of fighters who have been tracking the rebel. Kau and his anxious fighters wait till dawn to engage the men so that none will escape in the dark. In a final battle employing various weapons, Feng and his companions manage to defeat Kau and his band before the Ching army arrives. Finally fulfilling their desires, the badly wounded Ying and Chun finally die for a noble cause by staying behind to stall the army so that Feng can escape.

While everything in the film is quite conventional, the ample humor, range of weapons and quantity of highly entertaining fights makes "Shaolin Rescuers" a worthwhile film to see. Its certainly one of Chang Cheh's more refreshing films since it relies less on bloody carnage and more on story and character development.

REVIEW:
Not long after Bruce Lee died, Asian film producers scrambled to crop the next martial arts mega star. Bruce Li and Bruce Le, both Hong Kong imports, fizzled out in a short length of time. Japan decided to step up to the plate and throw their kung fu curve ball, a former TV star named Shinichi Chiba - but his friends called him Sonny. "The Street Fighter" ("Gekitotsu! Satsujin-ken") was Chiba’s American debut. The film did fairly well in the grind house/drive-in theaters due, in part, to the notoriety of being one of the first American films to ever receive an X-rating for pure violence alone.

"The Street Fighter" lends itself less towards Bruce Lee and more towards Dolemite, film wise. It’s a martial arts exploitation film. That being said, like most exploitation films the plot and acting take a back seat to the action and body count. One thing that differentiates "The Street Fighter" from the martial arts and even most of the exploitation movies of the '70s is that it really has no moral lesson and the film makes no apologies for that. Chiba embodies all that is great about the anti-hero. He does exactly what he wants to do. I mean why not sexually abuse the woman you plan on protecting?

The martial arts aspect of "The Street Fighter" is adequate and sometimes laughable. In many scenes where Chiba’s character has to display his Japanese karate skills a sound similar to a near-death asthma patient can be heard coming from our hero. This has been described as Chiba "redistributing his chi." I don’t know about that, but it’s pretty disturbing. Especially considering he does it while inside an automobile with the enemy about a thousand feet away. Word has it that Chiba is a master of a Japanese style known as Kyokushinkai, one of the most powerful forms of martial arts in the world. I’m sure for "The Street Fighter" series of films he over-exaggerated some of the techniques to give a little pow to his character Terry. With a name like Terry some pow is probably a good idea.

Unlike most, I really didn’t find the plot of "The Street Fighter" all that bad. The film could have easily gone with the avenging someone's death or traveling assassin plot, quite common in martial arts cinema. Instead, the film actually has plot and sub-plot that work quite well off each other and conclude nicely. Naturally, the meat and potatoes of the film are the action scenes, which are great. Instead of trying to groom another Bruce Lee imposter, Toei studio went for the throat (I had to go there) and created their own cult star. I mean anyone who can rip out a guy’s testicles and whip his hands with the dude’s underwear deserves his own place in the martial arts hall of fame. Or maybe in a back alley behind the martial arts hall of fame.

Carter Wong plays the lead role in this uninvolving film about a man on the run. With the kung fu boom in the seventies churning out all manner of kung fu films, there are bound to be some stinkers and this is one of them. Carter Wong was never a great actor and here he shows why, being a rather unintelligent young man who stumbles from one bad situation to another and seems too dumb to know why. He’s even a poor kung fu expert according to his teacher. After finding a dead body, he is accused of murdering the man and what’s worse, the man was a Shaolin priest. He goes to his master, who instructs him to steal a valuable object from the monastery and winds up finding another dead body and not doing much to clear. Polly Shang Kwan arrives in town looking Carter’s master and eventually ends up helping Carter as the murderer slowly reveals himself.

Like I said, this is no great film by any stretch of the imagination, even the fight scene’s are staged poorly and they’re usually the best thing about kung fu films. Polly, as usual acquits herself admirably but her role is far too small for her to do anything with it other than make Carter Wong look good. If you see this one, just keep on walking because otherwise you’ll be wanting an hour and 30 mins of your life back.

How many films have covered the destruction of Shaolin Temple? The answer is more than I can count on my fingers and toes. "Abbot of Shaolin" stars the charismatic David Chiang in one of his more subdued roles as devout monk Chi San who travels about in a very episodic narrative. He gathers pupils who are at first skeptical of his skills and eventually awed by them. He also manages to impress several area business men who marvel at his piety after unsuccessfully tempting him with a woman, thus leading to a substantial financial contribution to be used for the rebuilding of Shaolin.

Of course, Chiang will never succeed if veteran screen villain Lo Lieh has anything to say about it. He plays the infamous Pai Mei, a white-haired monk who according to legend, decided to help the Ching government destroy the temple and kill off many of the monks. The other notable players include Lily Li who plays Wu Mei, a noble woman who keeps running into Chi San. Sorry, no sparks will fly here. Chi San's a devout monk, remember? Norman Tsui of "Duel to the Death" fame plays a naive martial artist who becomes Chi San's student after he is soundly defeated despite all his bluster.

Nothing that stands out in this film is anything to be proud of. The actors seem uncomfortable with their roles and therefore are stiff in their delivery. Its no wonder, the usually boisterous Chiang is forced to play the devout monk role with no creativity. Tsui, who went on to play darker, more complex roles, befitting his sinister looks is wasted as a goofy wannabe martial artist while the beautiful and talented Lily Li only appears at the beginning and end of the film. Likewise, the story is paced horribly in an episodic fashion where Chiang meets various people in seemingly unrelated scenarios. While many of the infamous Shaw sets are used here, along with a very few outdoor shots, they've never looked worse. The "blue sky" background buckles behind Chiang, revealing that the wallpaper is not as carefully adhered as it should have been. The costumes seem like they came straight from the cleaners after a thorough starching. Chiang, especially seems ill-fitted in his monk's robes. The martial arts action is decent with Chiang performing well but nothing noteworthy is displayed.

Although the colors are pleasingly vivid, everything else about the film screams, "Who cares!" This sort of film is what put the nail in the lid of Shaw Brothers coffin, leading them to abandon feature film for television. Even more saddening is that this is also just the sort of film that continued to validate the low standards of Hong Kong cinema for many uniformed western audiences.