The Shadow Boxing: Quick Takes

a.k.a. The Spiritual Boxer Part II, a sequel in name only to Lau Kar Leung's groundbreaking directorial debut. It set the stage for the kung-fu comedy while also blending in elements of spirit boxing but ultimately in itself was an uneven effort. By 1979, when The Shadow Boxing came out, Snake In The Eagle's Shadow had firmly ignited the combination of comedy and martial arts and Lau Kar Leung's answer to all that definitely resonates better in movies like Mad Monkey Kung Fu and My Young Auntie. However, the hopping vampires makes their big entrance in Hong Kong cinema here in this a middle effort from Lau. It still means decently entertaining and Lau brings in familiar faces and elements from The Spiritual Boxer to an ever so slightly better comedic effect (such as the female sidekick, this time played by Wong Hang-Sau, who serves up the film's best comedy sequence when she's first familiarizing herself in the role as a corpse herder). As the drunken master, Lau Kar Wing's more substantial presence, compared to Chiang Yang's similar and disappointingly minor role in the The Spiritual Boxer, is welcome. Gordon Lau is also fun as the human masquerading as a vampire and most of Lau's regular players such as Lee Hoi Sang and Wilson Tong appear as well.

Lau's action directing, while accomplished obviously, never truly ignites and Wang Yu's Vampire Fist technique is more of a neat idea on paper rather than an exciting on screen fighting style. The Shadow Boxing and The Spiritual Boxer should be among your low priorities while exploring Lau Kar Leung's tremendous filmography as director and even he is allowed low-points.