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.

The fighting is in the usual early 70's style. But it's for the most part done with such brutal intensity that you really feel the impact.

All the characters are memorable and more multilayered than you would normally expect from a film of this type and time.

And the images of Lo Lieh's glowing fists, the cut off head rolling down the dusty path, or the gouged eyeballs laying on the wooden floor, or many other cool-as-hell moments of this film will stay with you and ensure repeat viewings.

All of this old school splendor is set to one of the greatest and most recognizable scores of any kung fu movie. A nice mix of borrowed loops and original music that sets the tone just right. Simply a must have.

Perhaps I've been spoilt by films along the way (Lau Kar-leung's Shaw Brothers directorial outings, and much of the Hong kong Legends series), but I didn't get much out of King Boxer choreography-wise. It seemed very much in the pre-Bruce Lee "Windmill Fist" vein, and it seemed to be running in slow motion at times.

In saying that, Lo Lieh made a good, intense hero, a role (like the great Hwang Jang Lee) he didn't get to play too often. Also, the crimson Shaw blood remains a favourite effect of mine, even after working my way through my beloved grubby Italian splatter-fests, George Romero and David Cronenberg films, and Ichi the Killer.

Looking at the story, King Boxer does have nice sub-plots, even if the characters never really develop. However, like I mentioned at the start, I've seen a lot better films since this was released, with Sammo and Lau Kar-leung primarily responsible for some of my favourites (ie The Victim, The Prodigal Son, Heroes of the East and The Eight Diagram Pole Fighter). It may be unfair to compare true "old-school" films with more modern pieces (even if only ten years separates them) but, unfortunately, that is what is going to happen, especially with Celestial reissuing about 75% of the Shaw Brothers catalogue.

Personally, King Boxer is a film I bought due to it's fame as the film that broke Chinese Martial Arts movies in the USA (under the name Five Fingers of Death). For that reason alone, it's one to own.

Oh, and it's still better than many, far more recent, American Martial Arts movies.

The late Lo Lieh (who also co-wrote) plays Chao Chi-Hao, a martial artist of moderate but far from outstanding skill. He goes to hone his skills with a renowned instructor and hopes to compete in a prestigious tournament. Unfortunately there's this real asshole in town who uses hired thugs, Japanese swordsmen, and his eye-poking shithead of a son to make life difficult for any potential competition for his school in the tournament. Also, one of Chi-Hao's fellow students gets insanely jealous when Chi-Hao learns their master's secret iron fist technique and becomes the object of a female minstrel's affections. Ergo, Chi-Hao must overcome all sorts of difficulties to realize his full potential, win the tournament, and save the day all without making too much of a jackass of himself. After a handful of short, mostly one-sided fights, tournament day arrives and numerous asses are kicked.

The version I watched was the EPI DVD...dubbed only (as with many, MANY old school martial arts movies), but a far better presentation than the muddy pan and scan backwash flooding the shelves. A pretty decent treatment for a pretty decent film.

The disrespect for old-school flicks on this site is no more apparent than on this very page. Two reviews for Five Fingers of Death, both of them negative. Reportedly, the movie is slow-paced. The kung-fu on display is subpar. Lo Lieh isn't a charismatic lead. The story is too simple and cliched. And so on.

Okay, let me ask this: how can a movie with not one, but two eye gougings (complete with the perpetrator holding the bloody eyeballs in his fist before tossing them to the ground), a severed head thrown hatefully at an opponent, multiple bloody deaths, sword slashings, impalements, and glowing red palms of death be slow moving?

Another criticism is that the story is cliched. Today it is. But when Five Fingers of Death was new, the story was most likely fresh. But now, decades later, after being inundaded with countless movies about a good school versus a bad school, it seems that Five Fingers is just a rehash.

Even though the story is familiar, Five Fingers is unique in that it gives us more of a ensemble piece, whereas "Fist of Fury," which had much the same story, was a solo vehicle all the way. That's one mark for freshness. Another is that it doesn't revert into the "hate the Japs" vibe of similar flicks. And another is that there isn't just one character looking for blood in the movie; everyone basically wants revenge.

The violence in this movie is hardcore and realistic. When someone gets stabbed, there's blood everywhere. The villains are menacing. The three evil Japanese blow away those depicted in "Fist of Fury." Two of them wear fright wigs that obscure their features, making them look like heartless monsters. The boss looks sort of like an uglier Lo Lieh (impossible?) and really doesn't mind getting blood on his hands. There's also a Chinese villain (who later has a change of heart) who favors slamming his forehead into people. Most of the cast will be familiar to those who have seen "The Chinese Boxer," a 1969 Shaw Brothers joint that starred Jimmy Wang Yu, with Lo Lieh as a villain.

So in short, if you want an old-school film that doesn't skimp on the violence and mayhem, then Five Fingers of Death is for you. The music isn't bad, and I love the "siren" effect that goes off every time Lo Lieh displays his Iron Fist technique.

Sure, this isn't the greatest kung-fu flick of all time, but it is an important one: this was the first kung-fu movie released in the US. Without its genuine success over here, who knows when, or if, successive films, such as Bruce Lee's and Jackie Chan's, would have ever gained such widespread acceptance and popularity. Respect is due.

The story is rather typical but interesting and versatile enough; there's even a martial arts tournament. Fighting is quite good and realistic for such and old film, in the level of "One Armed Boxer" [these two films have a lot in common: similar plot, a few same actors, fighting]. There is stupid jumping and flying though. You know, when somebody jumps and then there's a shot of something that just flies rolling through the picture [usually this same shot is repeated at least two times (like in them cheap ninja movies)]. Surprisingly there's only one scene that is reversed [when a guy jumps on a wall]. The action's also quite brutal at times. Blood splatters out and there's and amazing scene where a bad guy rips [or actually pinches] one dude's eyeballs out. Young Lo Lieh, who would later play almost only villains, makes a convincing hero. Unlike him, all of the bad people are not convincing at all! They don't look like expert fighters; they look like idiots [like in so many other early 70's kung fuers, i.e. "Boxer from Shantung"]! But to sum it up, "5 Fingers" is an entertaining movie, and if you like these older ones, you know you should rent this. I'll choose this over "Fist of Fury" anytime. Recommended [but not for the close-minded...who think that every movie should be set in the modern day].