When his brother is killed in a kung fu fight Chi Chu Cheng (Meng Yuen Man) is banned from training by his protective grandfather and is forced instead to study; his grandfather hoping for a scholarly career for his grandson. Not being content with this state of affairs Chi leaves home to find a kung fu master but displays incredibly bad luck in choosing teachers who each manage to get themselves killed. Actually a killer known as 'Daggers 8' (Wilson Tong) is being given contracts to kill whoever takes Chi as their student (he has the name because he has erm... 8 daggers hidden in his clothing). However Chi manages to take something constructive away from each of his teachers, not least of which is the 'Woman's Fist Style' taught by Lily Li, which allows for some creative and varied choreography in the film's final showdown.

Meng Yuen Man was a talent to rival his classmates Jackie and Samo and gets to display it here with some wonderful tumbling and acrobatics although the best acrobatics come from Choy Chung Sun in a short appearance as one of Chi's sifu's. Lily Li also puts in impressive moves but it's Wilson Tong though who really brings this film alive with his genuine screen presence and his superb choreography. The fights are very fast and intricate, without any sign of obvious undercranking, and are wonderfully edited. The film is given just that extra touch of class by another great Frankie Chan soundtrack.

'Daggers 8' contains some absolutely blistering martial arts sequences from start to end and the clever plot allows for plenty of fight scenes without their occurrence ever seeming contrived.