The Flag Of Iron: Reviews

REVIEW:
The first thing that startles proespective viewers of this Venoms' film is the absence of such series stalwarts Lo Meng and Sun Chien. This is obviously bound to be a flaw as will be discussed later, but any chance to see such masters of the craft as Kuo Chui, Chiang Sheng, Lu Feng and supreme director Chang Cheh is always going to be worth watching. In this intrigue-packed tale of crosses and double-crosses presents the varioys stars pushing back the boundaries of what can be considered a deadly weapon; here the heroes/villains fight with spear topped flags - something that can hardly be boasted in many kung-fu films.

The honourable Iron Flag clan are well-respected within their hometown and their righteous stand against any tyranny is often documented. One rival, however, decide to wipe out the heroic clan and be continue their immoral practices. On hearing about the plan, the Iron Flag chief decides to attack the villainous school before the plan can be executed. The assault goes well until the master is mysteriously killed; professional killer 'Man In White' - who has been hired by the Iron Flag elder pupil Chow (Lu Feng) to help their cause - is the chief suspect. However, the suspicious student Lo (Kuo Chui) is unable to investigate when he is persuaded to be a scapegoat for the mass battle and is forced to leave town. Living as an exile away from the martial world, the innocent fighter gets work as a waiter and hopes to return home when the heat has died down. What starts out as a quiet existence away from the Iron Flag clan is disturbed when a series of hitmen are sent out to kill him. Although he successfully vanquishes these foes, the puzzled Lo begins to piece together past events and meets his loyal clan brother. After being told that Chow has turned the Iron Flag clan into a money-making enterprise, Lo decides to go back to town and uncover the mystery of Chow's reign. This brings to the fore an unlikely ally in the shape of the 'Man In White'.

First the bad news: without the aforementioned Venoms in 'Flag Of Iron', this doesn't manage to live up to classics like 'Killer Army' and 'Invincible Shaolin'. Although Chang Cheh once again gives his very watchable supporting players the chance to stand out, they do not compensate for the absentees. The storyline, while interesting, is not developed with the same panache that Chang Cheh usually shows; the first half seems to just present Kuo Chui with numerous opponents with little build up to the showdowns. Thankfully, even these minor inadequacies do not stop this from being another thunderous piece of entertainment. The three remaning Venoms are as good as can be expected with each one again proving their physical and thespian aptitude. The action may not be the very best the team has performed, but remains exciting and constantly inventive. As always, the highlight is seeing Kuo Chui and Lu Feng face one another again - fans will not be disappointed by their finale. 'Flag Of Iron' is a good film in nearly all of its departments and therefore earns a strong recommendation.

TECH SPECS
Picture: Although taken from another VHS master, this print is surprisingly good. There are signs of wear, but the print is virtually Shaw Scope and the colours are very sharp. Red - the film's main colour - looks very good and other awkward colours are much better than other Ground Zero films. The only letdown is the awful dubbing that is certainly not as good as the pleasantly familiar Shaw Brothers dub-tracks.

Sound: English Mono dub only.

Trailers: None.

Extras: None.

SYNOPSIS:
A tale of deadly deception and betrayal unfolds when the leader of the respectable Iron Flag clan is assassinated by The Spearman while the clan fights the villainous Eagle clan. Iron Flag's eldest brother, Lo, the second brother accepts the responsibility for the deaths of the Eagle clan and goes into hiding from the authorities. Meanwhile, Chow Feng takes charge, using his position for disreputable purposes. Seeing Lo, as a potential threat, Feng sends the "nefarious" Ten Killers of the Underworld to finish him. But Lo defeats them and confronts Feng with the aid of The Spearman who hopes to atone for having unwittingly killed a righteous man, Iron Flag's former leader.

REVIEW:
The infamous "Venoms" return under the masterful direction of Chang Cheh in a less ambitious title that still manages to entertain.

Cheh is almost as well known for his ambitious plots of subterfuge as for his penchant for spilling buckets of red dye number 5. While there is certainly a fair quantity of the later, its the plot that ranks somewhat below Cheh's standard. Philip Kwok is the noble hero who finds himself on the short end of the stick when it comes to choosing a successor to the Iron Flag crew. He spends the majority of the film fending off member's of the Ten Killers of the Underworld which is thankfully the most enjoyable part of the film. These colorful characters include "The Fortune Teller" who poses as a cripple, "The Killer Butcher" who ends up looking like a stuck pig in more ways than one, and "The Bookkeeper" with an abacus you can count on seeing as a weapon. Aside from the prerequisite impalings found in all good Cheh films, the vigorous action sports lots of flag waving kung fu and lethal projectiles similar to those found in 99 Cycling Swords.

Although missing Venom's alumni Fu Sheng, Flag of Iron is a solid entry in the Venoms series of films. The other stars all perform well with Philip Kwok (aka Kuo Chui) giving a characteristically strong performance in the lead role. A lackluster plot is likewise bolstered by entertaining fights done the way only Chang Cheh knows best. This is a worthy entry in the Venoms series and certainly worth a look.