REVIEW:
Li Tai is hunted by men sent out by Hu Yun Lueng while trying to carry a message to his great uncle, Yu Chu Mao, concerning the 18 Secrets of Kung Fu. In a narrative at the beginning of the film, it is made known that the 18 Secrets had been lost to all but one man, Yu Chu Mao. Hu Yun Lueng killed Li's grandfather ten years ago trying to find the 18 Secrets and now he is determined to get it from Li and Yu. When Li's cousin is killed while fighting Hu's men, he vows to get revenge and begins training in the 18 Secrets under the torturous hand of his great uncle. Li's skill improves in time to help his great uncle face the wrath of Hu Yun Lueng.

Let's face it, the story is thin and the plot about a kid who trains in kung fu to avenge a loved one's death is all too familiar. I have to knock off a point for this film not even trying to amuse anyone with an ounce of creativity. Now the action deserves more attention. Li Shao Hua, playing as the young star is a leaping dynamo who reminded me of Yuen Biao. He has a lot of grace and dexterity which luckily is showcased frequently throughout the film. The fighting from start to finish is intense and aside from the occasional edit, is an amazing display of physical prowess. I am disappointed that the "18 Secrets" were not explained more thoroughly but I suppose the time constraints would have been too great.

While 18 Secrets of Kung Fu suffers from a weak plot and a poor video and audio transfer, the kung fu battles get better as the film progresses. Even the story redeems itself a bit at the end when the revenge theme is turned around. This is one of the better films in the Martial Arts Theater series so far.