Agreement:71% of 14 voters agree with Mad Monkey's reviews Gender: Male Location: Iowa City, Iowa
Bio: My kung fu collection has grown from a few "must have" movies to around 200 now. I try to be very selective and only choose movies with top notch choreography (ala Lau Kar Leung) or with excellent martial artists (aka, Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, Yuen Biao, Lau Kar Leung, Hsiao Hou). Movies that raised the bar re my kung fu obsession: Fist of Fury, King Boxer, Drunken Master, Mad Monkey Kung Fu, Ong Bak.
Kung fu with an engaging plot, drama and characters--a miracle! As much as I love kung fu films (classic kung fu especially), I've come to expect a certain amount of dullness or flab inbetween the training and fighting scenes. This movie is all muscle. There is plenty of drama in this movie, but it is engaging and renders the action, when it occurs, more poignant. Emotional context is given to most of the fights. It's easy to identify with and care about the protagonist (played to perfection by Lo Lieh). He is strong, intelligent and has a big heart. At the beginning of the movie, he is not the strongest student or the most courageous, but because of his humility and desire, he masters the iron fist technique and becomes a force to be reckoned with
At the risk of being overly critical, I am tempted to withold half a star because the choreography isn't among the best I've seen (as in "Drunken Master" 1 or 2, or in "Mad Monkey Kung Fu", or "Prodigal Son") and leaves something to be desired. That said, I still find myself engaged in every fight and sometimes cringing at the nasty blows people receive. The choreography reminds me of a Jimmy Wang Yu movie, being more chop-socky. This style is appropriate given that the iron palm technique, glorified in this movie, is delivered in simplicity as a single, straight thrusting blow.
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i agree with you this is one of my favorite lo lieh films if not the best.
The choreography and Lo Lieh's martial arts skills are disappointing, but this is an important and enjoyable milestone in the development of martial arts cinema.
This movie needs two separate review scores since the first half and second half are so very different. The first half is dialogue heavy. Rather than amusing me, it bored me. I'm sure it was supposed to build sympathy for the characters, but it had the opposite effect, revealing the girls as superficial and self-absorbed. By the time they are in mortal danger they have stopped blethering, and though I feel guilty to say it, I was just happy they finally shut up. (Note: my sympathy was stronger for the first victim--she seemed much nicer than the other girls--and I was shocked by the brutality of her murder). The first section gets 2/5.
The second half of the movie is pure action and it is very gripping. I sympathized with these girls more (maybe because they were stronger or maybe because their characters were more fully fleshed out). The finale reminded me of an old school kung fu movie. Kurt Russell was excellent in this. This part of the movie merits 4/5.
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You just don't get this movie. The first part of the movie wasn't supposed to build sympathy - it was to set the tone and set up the situation. I get that you didn't like some of the main characters but the fact is you know girls that are that superficial
I'm not saying I "DISAGREE" with the well written and informative review by MAD MONKEY, and found this very helpful to me, but the comment from CHOCO prompts me to say "Watch A Real 70's Movie - There Is A Reason!"
You hit the nail on the head with this one, IMO. The first half was mastubatory and self-indulgent on QT's part, for no apparent reason whatsoever. The second half really lets go and has fun.
Master Of The Flying Guillotine (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure I didn't know what I was getting into when I bought this! I was happily surprised. Everyone I know who's seen it loves it. My buddy from Mexico said it's "muy bueno." This movie features a blind assassin with a guillotine attached to a chain, a yogi from India whose appendages extend at will, and a mean-tempered Thai kickboxer. While the fighting is chop-socky style, it's well done.
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This movie was good, but not five star good, my friend. How about 4 stars? 5 star should mean that everybody and their moma are going to like this movie. And my mom would not like this picture.
I loved this one too. Try to check out the prequel to this, The One Armed Boxer. Though not as stylish, anyone who likes the sequel liked this one also.
Return Of The Chinese Boxer (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure Okay, so the choreography isn't anywhere close to Jackie Chan or Sammo Hung's best movies, but the campy, cultish flare is more pronounced. Once you get past the first dull twenty minutes, it's non-stop zany kung fu. While most kung fu comedies fall flat for me, this movie consistently made me tear up with laughter. This is like "Master of the Flying Guillotine" but ten times more outlandish!
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The martial arts are much inferior what came later from better qualified fighters, but this is an enjoyable film.
Movies like this done by Jimmy Wang Yu are pure entertainment and fun! If you can find an uncut copy of Screaming Tiger by Jimmy, you would like this also.
Holy Robe Of Shaolin Temple [Crash Cinema] (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure I found this film to be much more enjoyable than expected. The plot and characters are engaging. The choreography is solid. It features a fight on horseback, fighting between prison bars, and Tai Chi.
Mad Monkey Kung Fu (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure Probably my favorite kung fu movie. This movie features the best monkey kung fu committed to celluloid. The choreography is tight, the training is inventive and inspiring, and the characters are engaging.
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Lau Kar Leung/Liu Chia Liang is the most committed and innovative director of martial arts film who has yet lived. I enjoy most of his lead actors, but his technique is better than any of them!
Enter The Dragon (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure All in all, I think this is Bruce Lee's most entertaining movie. It doesn't have the drama, the romantic relationships (as in "Fist of Fury") to slow it down.
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I have to disagree with you on this one my friend, the part of ETD was Bruce Lee! However, because of Bruce ETD is probably the most significant film of the genre
Drunken Master 2 (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure This is a classic! This is one of the first kung fu movies I watched when I began seeing Non-Bruce-Lee pics. Beware: If you watch this movie, the choreography in nearly everything else will pale in comparision.
Drive [Director's Cut] [Medusa] (product link) Action/Adventure / Martial Arts This has the feel of an 80's action movie. The fighting is fast and frenetic. Many scenes warrant slow-motion.
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This is one of my favorites also. Mark Dacascos is one of the most underrated martial arts talents in movies. This film is a bit quirky at times, but is very intertaining, especially coming from a Japanese production crew.
Buddha's Palm [1982] (product link) Action/Adventure / Fantasy Very entertaining! I'm not generally a fan of wirework or special effects in kung fu, but it's done with so much campy charm and style it elevates the movie.
Born To Fight [2004] (product link) Action/Adventure / Martial Arts Plot is fairly simple and cheesy, but the action is great. Many high-flying, death-defying stunts! Reminiscent of "Ong-Bak", though I don't think the fighting is as good.
The Iron Dragon Strikes Back (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure Entertaining but not enthralling. Production values are dodgy. Some good kung fu, but the choreography could have been a little tighter.
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