However, as the Southern Shaolin prepares to leave, they are killed by General Pu in such a way that when their bodies are transported back to their master Mai Chi, everybody thinks that they are killed by the Northern Shaolin.

Mai Chi, with his sons Mai Yuan and Mai Feng, then lead a group of people to Northern Shaolin intending to revenge on them. But under the mediation of Hsu Feng, the Northern Shaolin avoids being directly involved in the fight. However, one day when Hsuy Feng goes out alone, he is attacked by Mai Yuan whom he kills accidentally.

Invincible Shaolin is a 90-minutes spectacle of deceit, annihilation and kung fu; and talk about a climax where all bloody hell breaks loose. In between the crisp choreography lies some great interaction between the fighters and their social surroundings. Unlike most kung fu movies, the characters are gleaming with personality. They're smooth with women, honest to their friends, but naive when it comes to their enemies.

To simply put it, Invincible Shaolin is one slick flick. You can thank Chang Cheh for this. Chang Cheh is the man Lo Wei wanted to be. While Bruce Lee was perfecting his one-on-one bout with Sammo Hung in Enter The Dragon, Chang Cheh was doing some pre-John Woo/Ringo Lam crime shit with Police Force. While a drunken Jackie Chan was farting in people's faces and sticking frogs down his underpants, Chang Cheh was gathering up the "Venoms" and forcing the North and South Shaolin masters to a false state of martial combat. Chang Cheh didn't want to make kung fu movies, he wanted to make movies with kung fu in them. It's just something we took for granted, because the action was always as solid as the plot.

Highly recommended.

Shaolin remains a constant thorn in the side of the Manchus and their dominance is threatened by this possible enemy. One Ching warlord (Wang Lung-Wei) devises a fiendish plan to get rid of the threat of Shaolin forever. He organises a battle between fighters from North Shaolin and South Shaolin, but he stacks the odds against one side, resulting in a tragic death. His scheme works very well and the perceived aggression is countered by South Shaolin who organise their three top fighters to train under different masters and exact justice. When the training is complete and the avenging force is ready, they travel up to the Manchu palace to take on the wronged North Shaolin men. After a furious battle the plot is finally exposed and the separate forces combine to take on the Manchu powers. However, there is tragedy for all concerned.

'Invincible Shaolin' looks, on paper, to be a tightly plotted, but not exactly incredible kung fu flick. What makes this such a significant classic though is Chang Cheh's handling of the material; if there were ever doubts as to Cheh's credibility as a serious director, 'Invincible Shaolin' will dispel them for good. Chang Cheh weaves intrigue into the plot along with a clear sense of humanity and even humour. Each character is well-defined by the style they use and each stands out as an individual within the framework. Rarely have the Venoms been given such a chance to show off the full range of their underrated thespian skills; the tragic, the humorous and even the romantic are all displayed in this extraordinary epic. It's also a unique opportuninty for every one of the team to shine in the action scenes and the drama, with the usually villainous Lu Feng finally playing a more heroic role.

Vitally, 'Invincible Shaolin' takes all of the aforementioned qualities and combines them with exceptional choreography. True movie buffs will appreciate the former, but kung fu fans will certainly be impressed by the latter. A number of different styles are highlighted and each Venom impresses in equal measure. The sometimes underused Sun Chien makes the most of his more substantial role while Chiang Sheng, Lo Meng, Lu Feng and of course Kuo Chui are equally assured.

'Invincible Shaolin' is another Shaw Brothers masterpiece and will stand as an timeless reminder of Chang Cheh's excellence.

Years ago, back when kung-fu movies were hard as hell to find, I would order videos from Far East Flix. At the time (early '90s) I thought it was a great deal: $20 for a dubbed, bootleg tape. Hey, it's all we had. I used to call the owner and talk with him for long sessions over what movies he thought were good. He always told me Invincible Shaolin was "awesome," but I'd read online that it was one of those movies that's mostly made up of training sequences. I've always more been into movies where the heroes already know kung-fu, so I passed on Invincible Shaolin. My loss.

But after reading some positive reviews online, I decided recently to pick up the dvd, which is put out by NS video. Surprise surprise, it's actually uncut, letterboxed, and of above average picture quality. I have read, though, that Celestial Pictures (which now owns all of the Shaw Brothers movies) has slated Invincible Shaolin for their first wave of releases, so sooner or later a better print will be on the market. But for now, the NS release will do just fine.

The guy from Far East Flix was right, the movie is about training. But it's training for guys who already know kung-fu. And it's also entertaining training, of the type seen in "Master Killer." But beyond that, the training scenes are benchmarked by life-or-death battles. The end battle in particular is one of the bloodiest fights in Venoms history. Not of "Super Ninjas" caliber, but still pretty bloody. For example, one guy gets his chest torn open, and several characters are impaled by spears.

What sets Invincible Shaolin above the usual, old-school theme of good-versus-evil, where some characters are clear-cut good, and others are clear-cut evil, is that every Venom in the movie is a hero. Yes, even Lu Feng, the constant villain in just about every other Venoms movie. But still, these men find themselves in a battle to the death, as the South Shaolin fighters (Kuo Choi, Lo Meng, and Wei Pai) are tricked into believing that the North Shaolin fighters (Lu Feng, Sun Chien, and Chiang Sheng) have killed their classmates. So while the North Shaolin fighters obliviously go about their lives, courting fiancés and upholding virtuousness, the South Shaolin fighters train to kill them.

The training sequences are entertaining, but do slow down the movie. This is the only thing that keeps the film from being perfect, as the pace plods in the middle half. Lo Meng has the best training sequences, learning Mantis Fist. He proves again that he's as equally funny as Chiang Sheng, the Venom normally referred to as "the funny one."

The end fight is both exhilarating and tragic. Driven by their teacher's dying words, Kuo Choi, Wei Pai, and Lo Meng confront the Northern Shaolin masters on Sun Chien's wedding day. As their shocked fiancés watch on, Lu Feng, Sun Chien, and Chang Shieng grudgingly accept the South Shaolin masters' challenge. To make matters worse, a cadre of Ching soldiers show up, making this final battle one of the best in both Venoms and Shaws history.

Though it doesn't feature the outrageous costumes or exotic weapons that are normally associated with Shaw Brothers films, Invincible Shaolin is one of the best movies Chang Cheh and the Venoms were ever part of. For once, the craziness is toned down and the characterization is turned up, way past the usual Shaw Brothers movie. Invincible Shaolin has real heart and soul, and I recommend it entirely.

REVIEW:
Its a case of mistaken motives in this Venom's classic where three Northern Shaolin instructors end up being framed for the murder of three Southern Shaolin instructors, leading to more casualties. This slightly too obvious plot loses ground to a series of overlong, yet entertaining training scenes before returning for an expected bloody finale.

Overall, there are less fight scenes than in other Chang Cheh films, with the aforementioned training sequences stealing about half the film. Also, there isn't much in the way of typically outrageous weapons and styles. But still, the extensive training exercises are enjoyable to watch. A highlight is the development of Mantis finger strength that muscle-bound actor, Lo Meng must endure, resulting in Lo eating more fried eggs than he'd care to. The laughable papier-mâché rock planted on his back during a series of pushups rivals any props seen in the original Star Trek series.

The final confrontation justifies the extensive training seen earlier as each of the Southern Shaolin men's newly trained skills are put to gruesome use against their Shaolin brethren. The real villain, General Fu gets shafted in more ways than one. He may have been the brains behind the plot and possess a wicked "Buddha's Palm" style technique but he had not given much thought to what the remaining Shaolin men might do to him once his plan was revealed.

Plot holes and limited action aside, Invincible Shaolin is an enjoyable film to watch. The Venom's interplay as both friend and foe is always entertaining and as one of Cheh's lesser films, its still better than many of its inferior contemporaries.

The corrupt Ching Warlord General Fu (Wang Lung Wei) invites representatives from the rival Northern and Southern Shaolin schools to his imperial palace. General Fu fools them by telling them he is looking for the best school to instruct his troops in the martial arts, but it is an elaborate ruse to turn the schools against each other. The Northern Shaolin send their best fighters to represent them, known as the Northern Elite, consisting of Pao San Tso (Lu Feng), Yeung Chun Fei (Chiang Sheng), and Su Feng (Sun Chien). The Southern Shaolin sends three of their fighters to engage the Northern Elite. General Fu offers the winners of the duel the teaching spots in the Ching army. The Northern Shaolin fighters make a point to keep this to a friendly competition. It’s obvious the Southern Shaolin are no match for the Northern Elite, and they are soundly defeated. The Southern Shaolin are unhurt, but are distraught over losing face for their school. After the competition, General Fu invites the losing fighters to supposed celebration, only to murder them in cold blood. General Fu sends the corpses back to the Southern Shaolin School, and blames the deaths on the Northern Elite. Teacher Mei, leader of the Southern Shaolin, is naturally outraged and sends three of his top fighters (including one of his sons) to General Fu’s palace to challenge the Northern contingent.

Pao San Tso, Yeung Hun Fei, and Su Feng ponder the deaths of their opponents. They discuss the possibility that they are being set-up by General Fu. Suddenly, Teacher Mei shows up with his three protégés, accuses them of murder, and challenges them to duel his top students. The Northern Elite agree to fight on the condition that they shall be friendly confrontations, and not to the death. Once again, the Northern martial artists get the better of their opponents. However after each duel has ended, two of the Shaolin fighters keep fighting aggressively. Teacher Mei does not try to stop his fighters from going too far, and the Northern Elite are forced to kill the two Southern fighters. So that leaves only Teacher Mei’s son alive. They return home in disgrace, and Teacher’s Mei’s son eventually commits suicide because he cannot live with his defeat. Teacher Mei is rightfully bitter and distressed, but he is too old to seek revenge for himself. Instead, he summons two of the finest Southern Shaolin warriors to graduate from his own school, Fu Ying Wu (Phil Kwok) and Chu San Chung (Lo Mang), to join with his eldest son, Fung (Wei Pai) and strike back against the Northern Elite.

Teacher Mei realizes his contingent still may not be ready to defeat the Northern Elite. So he sends his son Fung and Chu San Chung to learn at the hands of Teacher’s Mei’s fellow teachers up in the mountains. Teacher Mei’s son undergoes rigorous training from this old master, while Chu San Chung receives lessons in the Mantis style. Teacher Mei himself trains Fu Ying Wu in pole fighting. As the months go by and these three men improve their strengths and weaknesses, Pao San Tso, Yeung Hun Fei, and Su Feng court some local women, one of whom, Su Ying, is an attendant to General Fu. In an attempt to gain the trust of the Northern Elite, The General adopts Su Ying so he can be invited to her eventual wedding with Pao San Tso, where he will spring his trap. Teacher Mei soon grows frail, and when his disciples return from their harsh training, he is on his deathbed. His last words to his own elite fighters are to avenge his death and that of his son by slaughtering the Northern Elite. They choose to attack the Northern Elite when they least expect it--during the wedding reception of Pao San Tso and Su Ying!

Chang Cheh does it again with INVINCIBLE SHAOLIN. Chang Cheh’s biggest critics insist that the director’s shortcomings are in area of characterization, story, and humor. These are the same people who usually cite Chia Liang Liu as bringing the human element to Kung Fu movies. Chang Cheh silences his critics with the most balanced Venoms film of all. INVINCIBLE SHAOLIN is full of Cheh’s trademarks, such as brotherhood, honor, and sacrifice. But Cheh adds plenty of light tones, tragedy, and characterization in with the bloody violence and breathtaking fight choreography. In fact, the elements that Venoms fans have come to expect (non-stop combat action and graphic bloodshed) take a back seat to the characterization and humor. For instance, in every Venoms movie, we have thrilled to the martial arts prowess of Lu Feng, who usually plays the heavy or is overlooked. Here we get to see Lu Feng shine in a rare heroic role, and he even goes so far as to land a girlfriend. In true Cheh manner, Lu Feng’s character ultimately suffers a gruesome fate at the hands of General Fu’s soldiers.

What makes INVINCIBLE SHAOLIN so poignant and endearing among others Venoms films, is that each character is heroic. Usually when you witness a Venom actor fighting another Venom actor, one is the hero and the other is the villain (usually Lu Feng or Sun Chien), which makes it easy for the viewer to take sides and pretty much determine beforehand who is going to win (hint: the bad guys always lose in the end). In INVINCIBLE SHAOLIN, every Venoms actor is a hero. The real villain is General Fu who manipulates the Northern and Southern fighters into battle. The real tragic moments of the film come when both sides realize they’ve been shammed. The Southern Shaolin are remorseful, but they have promised their deceased master that they would take revenge no matter the cost. Out of all six Venoms actors, only two survive the massacre at the conclusion of INVINCIBLE SHAOLIN--the death of four heroes is quite moving indeed. In a brilliant shot from Chang Cheh, Southern Fighter Phil Kwok in his last breath of life crawls to the mortally wounded last member of the Northern Elite, Chiang Sheng, and they grasp each others bloody hands in a final show of respect between the two factions before they expire.

INVINCIBLE SHAOLIN is unique to the genre, for it is a balanced piece of filmmaking that delivers not only the visceral delights of Chang Cheh, but also more character, tragedy, and plot than any other Venoms picture. INVINCIBLE SHAOLIN is close to being perfect, were it not for one crucial element--pacing. Granted, the training scenes are used to build character and inform the audience of the ancient techniques used by the old masters, but these scenes drag on far too long. Whereas Chia Liang Liu’s THE MASTER KILLER riveted your attention with incredible training techniques, that particular film chronicled one man’s personal journey and growth, so it worked. INVINCIBLE SHAOLIN is an epic film however, with way too many characters to waste time on endless training sequences (as cool and informative as they are). Cheh continues defining the characters of the Northern Elite while the Southern Shaolin endure brutal training techniques. This allows plenty of acting opportunities for Sun Chien, Lu Feng, and Chiang Sheng while Phil Kwok, Lo Mang, and Wei Pei sweat it out at the various Kung Fu training camps. The old masters who train the Southern Shaolin provide most of the humor, as well as the history of each training technique.

SIGHT
NS Video presents INVINCIBLE SHAOLIN in the original Shawscope ratio of 2.35.1. The picture appears very slightly misframed, as the opening titles go off the sides of the screen (on both sides). There is very little to complain about here though; the source print is in amazingly good shape with nary a scratch or a blemish after the opening title sequence. This is easily in as good condition (if not better) as Ground Zero’s THE KID WITH THE GOLDEN ARM. The color is very full bodied, with the interior lighting employed by the Shaw Bros. studio looking natural. The black levels may be out of calibration, because any fighters dressed in black disappear in the shadows. The editing and camera play during the action is very old school—the lens stays in one position while the combatants flip around overhead (as opposed to today’s martial arts movies where the camera moves around the performers). The choreography is intricately planned out but not as prevalent as most Venom films—no wire work here, but lots of cleverly edited trampoline shots. The last act is full of bloody closeups, which the crimson hues flowing freely. The transfer also enhances the Shaw Bros. high production values.

SOUND
It’s amazing how some companies like Crash Cinema, known for their great work on visually restoring old school classics usually cannot seem to provide a decent soundtrack. Then there is NS Video, who always provide solid acoustics on all their DVDs. The sound is always in two channel mono, but it’s always a clean sounding audio experience that never hisses, pops, or distorts. INVINCIBLE SHAOLIN is no exception. The soundfield comes to life with the bone-cracking blows, spinning flips, and clanging weapons. INVINCIBLE SHAOLIN is an epic film with a large set of characters. The folks who lend their voices to this (and other Kung Fu films) deserve praise for delivering the natural English dialog for this movie. The score by Chen Yung Yu is quite different from others, with long periods of Congo-style drum beats. NS Video does a great job with the audio and video quality.

FEATURES
None. But the disc features pleasing animated menu with music from the film.

CONCLUSION
INVINCIBLE SHAOLIN is near perfect Kung Fu film that succeeds on many levels. Not only does it contain savage fights and mayhem, it has heart and soul; something all too rare in Kung Fu films. Hardcore Venoms fans may be disappointed with the lack of weaponry and non-stop fights all the way through, but those who appreciate good plotting, characterization, and emotion with their Kung Fu addiction will enjoy INVINCIBLE SHAOLIN. It truly is a great showcase for the Venoms crew acting-wise. NS Video produces perhaps their best DVD transfer to date, and long time fans who suffered through poor bootlegs over the years will be ecstatic with this DVD. My only complaint is the lack of extras. Even the KID WITH THE GOLDEN ARM had some photos and talent bios.