| Coming off portraying the Hung Fists most famous performer Wong Fei Hung in Challenge Of The Masters, Lau Kar Leung turned to what has been said to be its founder, a Shaolin temple monk and rebel called Hung Xiguan (portrayed here by Chen Kuan-Tai and a few years earlier in Heroes Two, directed by Chang Cheh and co-action directed by Lau Kar Leung). The typically high quality display of kung fu is as always a prominent factor in Lau's work but he's in actuality celebrating heroism and family for Executioners From Shaolin.
A significant time is spent with Hung Xiguan and his wife Fang Yongchun (Lily Li), detailing their particular family dynamic as Hung prepares to take revenge on Master White Brows (Lo Lieh). Why this is strong direction lies in Lau's excellent portrayal of Fang as a strong woman, very much adept at martial arts while combining the duty of home wife. The two have made a promise to not teach other but it will eventually come down to Fang's acquired skills in combination with the teachings of Hung to bring their common enemy down. Lau injects the relationship with a sweetness and playfulness, getting strong chemistry and performances from Chen Kuan-Tai and Lily Li but at heart also lies the age old revenge storyline, taken to greater heights through Lo Lieh's presence as the classic movie villain and historical figure Master White Brows (or Pai Mei).
Lo Lieh is seemingly the true embodiment of the Shaolin temple traitor that Pai Mei is (although there are no historical facts confirming that story), being a master of body protection and making such an impact that he was called upon to reprise the role movies such as Abbot Of Shaolin, his own directed sequel/remake to Executioners From Shaolin called Clan Of The White Lotus and more recently, Gordon Lau under the direction of Quentin Tarantino took on a more comic portrayal of Pai Mei in Kill Bill Vol. 2.
While Lau Kar Leung's climax, featuring the son of Hung (Wong Yue) may feel a little short and under whelming, Executioners From Shaolin is unusually well-rounded for a martial arts movie but it certainly comes as no surprise that the master martial arts filmmaker Lau Kar Leung is behind it. Cheng Hong Yip's annoying performance gets the movie in trouble sometimes but Gordon Lau logs a fine fighting cameo during the opening. Lee Hoi San and Donald Kong also appear while there are brief flashes of Lau Kar Leung himself, Fung Hark On, Wilson Tong, Hsiao Hau and Lam Ching Ying. |
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