Having heard little or nothing about this classic kung fu flick, I was pleasantly surprised to see that it follows all the criteria to include it amongst some of the classics of the genre. Most films of this time that we still remember today had exciting fights, enigmatic leading performances and some of the dodgiest scripting that you have ever seen and thankfully, all of these effectively combine here.

Tan Tao Liang is one of the major draws of the film thanks to his highly impressive kicking skills that are almost unsurpassed to this day (only John Liu comes close and that is because he was Liang's student). He commands his legs like fists and is able to counter most moves using only his feet which makes for some jaw dropping moments. He could quite easily have carried a film like this alone but here he is accompanied by a few of the lesser known stars (including a young Blacky Ko) and even though they lack the real screen presence of Liang, they do have some genuine skills amongst their repertoires which don't require the use of stuntmen.

The main faults for 'Boxer's Adventure' plagued all the productions of this era thanks to the budget restrictions. Most of the money is invested in the extravagant fight sequences and little time or effort was put into actual plot which is evident when it noticably drags, trying too hard to present us with clever twists or Hollywood style drama that Hong Kong just wasn't capable of at the time. The editing techniques are also fairly poor as scenes jump into one another and it is often difficult to follow the reasoning behind our heroes actions but it is all forgivable as long as the gaps are plugged by top notch martial arts.

Overall, 'Boxer's Adventure' is another entertaining film from the 70's and contains numerous memorable fights as well as a few unintentional laughs along the way that definitely make it a worthwhile purchase.

BOXER’S ADVENTURE has a great cast of protagonists including Tan Tao Liang (THE HOT, THE COOL, AND THE VICIOUS), Meng Fei (PRODIGAL BOXER), Jack Long (BORN INVINCIBLE), and Ko Shan Lieng. Each actor has a special personality trait that endears their character to the viewer. For instance, Ko Shan Lieng is an obsessive gambler; Meng Fei is the ladies man; and Jack Long gets pissed whenever anyone calls him ‘Nancy-boy’. Why they call him that is never explained, but it’s fun watching Jack Long get mad and assault the person in retaliation. So these three constantly bicker back and forth and things get progressively out of hand when Meng Fei and Jack Long both get interested in Master Tung’s sexy daughter and they compete for her attentions. Tan Tao Liang is the stoic straight man, contrasting the other three stars. Except for Liang, the other three actors exhibit charisma and develop friendly rivalries with one another. So you’ll not only see Meng Fei and Jack Long team up against the good guys, you’ll also see them fight each other! BOXER’S ADVENTURE is a very violent martial arts movie will plenty of bloody weaponry slashing human flesh. Jack Long’s death sequence alone is one of the most painfully memorable ever captured on film. We dare you to watch it and not wince (unless you are female). Along with the graphic violence, director Tyrone Shu injects a huge amount of cruelty into the picture. The protagonists take pleasure in handing out pain and punishment to the numerous bad guys, even those who do not know the martial arts.

BOXER’S ADVENTURE is a very unorthodox martial arts flick. Many independent Kung Fu pictures may have big budgets and an epic scope, but the main protagonists usually boil down to maybe two or three generic characters: the young hero, the old master, and the villain (with the exception of the Venoms movies this is generally the case). BOXER’S ADVENTURE goes totally against the grain by having four central characters and no main villains. I say no main villain because the individual is not revealed until the final moments. Most Kung Fu flicks are only as good as their bad guys, so BOXER’S ADVENTURE lacks something in this area. There is plenty of fighting action though, since the unknown villain commands his legion of killers to hunt down the heroes, but there is actually no villainy in the film. No innocents get terrorized, no women get sexually assaulted, or anything else that usually constitutes a lead villain in these pictures. Fortunately, the acting and dialog inject some fun into the flawed premise. The martial arts choreography is lacking thanks to some poor editing, reverse leaps, and wire/trampoline tricks. Meng Fei, Jack Long, and especially Tan Tao Liang overcome the faulty choreography. Meng Fei is potent with his Mantis Fist style. Tan Tao Liang doesn’t open up like he usually does, but he manages some impressive footwork. Jack Long employs the most acrobatics into his fighting style than anyone else in the cast. If you are looking for a martial arts movie with a superior story and suspense or intrigue, BOXER’S ADVENTURE is not it. If you are looking for a movie with cult sensibilities (non-stop fights, violence, pretty ladies, sense of fun, etc.) the movie comes through.

SIGHT
If BOXER’S ADVENTURE has one thing going for it, its the slick cinematography. The photography showcases the period sets and the greenery and mountain views of ancient China. Crash Cinema’s widescreen transfer (2.35.1) is near immaculate. BOXER’S ADVENTURE is not a big-budget affair by any means, but the film stock holds its age well. Crash Cinema somehow dug up a pristine 32MM print to use for the transfer. The image exhibits occasional wear and blemishes, but old school fans used to poor video presentations will drool over this one. Colors are full bodied, and the detail level is impressive. The widescreen presentation enables the fight choreography to be viewed in it’s entirety. The combat scenes themselves range from overly flashy Peking Circus style (any of Jack Long’s fights) to naturalistic to downright sloppy. Bad editing and camera angles often hinder the action. But the transfer preserves the negatives and the positives equally well.

SOUND
In the past, Crash Cinema has suffered in the area of poor audio mixes. On some of their DVDs like RETURN OF THE FIVE DEADLY VENOMS, the dialog is all but inaudible. Crash Cinema breaks their reputation with a nicely remastered Dolby Digital Mono 2.0 soundtrack. The sound exhibits a strong depth and clarity that you don’t get on a videotape. The audio effects come alive with the sounds of daggers, swords, staffs, and other weapons. BOXER’S ADVENTURE is violent and cruel and you’ll hear the moans and dying wails of the bad guys. The snappy banter of the Tiger Village fighters is perfectly enhanced by the English dubbers—those same folks who done hundreds of these things. The musical score is strictly library stock, but it sounds undistorted and integrates nicely with the visuals.

FEATURES
No extras on the disc; Crash Cinema is not exactly known for them. What they are known for is presenting classic and obscure martial arts titles uncut and in widescreen.

CONCLUSION
BOXER’S ADVENTURE is an independent effort with crossover appeal. There is both levity and black humor in the movie, yet it doesn’t quite qualify as a comedy. There is some dead serious stuff here too, to offset the lighter moments. The movie gets points for bucking the typical martial arts formula (no revenge motive, no training scenes, and no drunken master antics). However, BOXER’S ADVENTURE gets held back by the lack of a strong central villain and some lame filming of the martial arts battles. Good performances though and some naturalistic photography that holds up well in Crash Cinema’s widescreen presentation. BOXER’S ADVENTURE is one of the better films in Crash’s Shaolin Boxer Collection, after PRODIGAL BOXER. Hopefully, we’ll get some more good widescreen stuff from them in the future.

REVIEW:
I have to give this one high marks quite simply because its so much fun to watch. Fight scenes are plentiful and although not original are made interesting by the playful verbal sparring of the three Tiger Village men. There are a few scenes and angles that for the late 1970's are quite good. There is a certain kinetic energy that propels you forward when watching. I can only compare it to Yuen Woo Ping's Iron Monkey (1993). No wirework here but lots of trick photography and rapid editing that keeps the film moving without chopping up the narrative. On the down side, some poor editing occurs such as a room full of men suddenly disappearing in the next angle as a fight begins in the same room.

The plot is pretty shallow considering the layers of intrigue. Through all the subterfuge of flirting women with knives hiding behind their backs and plots to ferret out traitors, the story is really just a long series of fights that become more dangerous near the finish. They never tell you much about this Yueng Zi Kai or why Minister Tai feels the need to keep him from power. There is also no motive for these Tiger Village men to fight for the minister until the end when they start counting losses. In addition, the protagonists seem to have little regard for their enemies even when they beg for mercy but this film really isn't about good guys vs. bad guys. Its about whoever has the best kung fu!

This film is part of the "Shaolin Boxer Collection". Due to the lack of extras and film, actor, and production information I'm led to believe these films are probably unofficial transfers. The sound and video is actually not bad though. The dubbing is acceptable with some of the same voices you've probably heard on other films.

While I would like to see a better packaged version of this film, I will say its one of my favorite "old school" kung fu films. The solid kung fu melees by genre regulars, Meng Fei and the high-kicking Dorian Tan are enjoyable. The film also has plenty of intended humor that stays above the "Half a Loaf of Kung Fu" slapstick but knows better than to take itself seriously. If you're looking for a classic kung fu film that has a little of everything, I highly recommend Boxer's Adventure.