Viewer Comments:House Of Traps
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This movie could have been really good but there was no flow to the storyline. The fight scenes were too few and too sparse. Finally, the movie was about the House of Traps but you barely get to see anything noteworthy about the house. You are left with a few short fight scenes in the House Of Traps. Very disappointing.
If you love Venom films, you have been treated to a wide range of entertaining films from the light hearted to the dark and bizarre. This one qualifies at the dark and bizarre end of the spectrum. Though strange at times, I did enjoy the premise of various heroes trying to win their way through a house, booby trapped with imaginative and deadly weapons! Kuo Chue and Lu Feng are outstanding as all ways.
I was looking for this for a long time, as I had read it was Chang Cheh at his most extreme. Well, it's quite good, but not quite what I was expecting. Many of his films are bloodier and more full of action, and this is not among those with the most impressive choreography. For both of those qualities, look to "Flag of Iron." Still, this is quite entertaining, and I would recommend it.
-Jeffrey Frawley (see my profile)
| One of the last two Venoms movies that hit the screen in 1982. Not a success but it still received a warm welcome by fans.
A wealthy, treacherous and vengeful government officer has set up a house of traps in his mansion to keep a stolen government seal of priceless value and a namelist of a secretive rebellion force headed by the officer himself. The reigning government high-ranked officers has executed a mission to break in and steal the things from the house of traps. For this purpose they have assigned one of their judges (Sun Chien) to lead the mission, and sent a skillful swordsman from the Rat Clan (Chien Siao Hao),the Black Fox (Kwo Chui) and another fighter (Lung Thien Siang) to infiltrate the treacherous officer's mansion. The treacherous officer has some evil swordsmen to protect his interests: Lu Feng (as the Iron Butterfly) and Wang Li. The plot gets complicated when one of the heroes is killed in the house of traps, which leads to more fighters joining in the mission to destroy the evil officer: Yu Thai Phing (this time he plays the good guy),Chu Khe, Chen Thien Che (a Chiang Sen look-alike who takes the main role in FIVE ELEMENT NINJAS), and Chiang Sen (just a minor role). There are some gory death scenes where one of the baddies has his stomach and entrails ripped out. Then another scene involves an infiltrator's feet being chopped off by a razor-sharp stair step. The story is slightly talky but it has a good flow. There are not as many fights as one would find in a Venoms' movie, but the fights are placed when needed. Overall, this is not a dissapointment but quite a good entry in the Venoms' series, belongs to the same group, in terms of its overall ratings, as THE FLAG OF IRON. |
Boy this movie is fantastic, I loved it!!!!!!!!!!
Not a bad entry for the Venoms crew. Granted, I don't think this should have been the curtain call for them, but nevertheless I was entertained. "The House of Traps" was a nice concept that could have been utilized more. I agree that Sun Chien could have been utilized more than a scholar, but I guess Chang Cheh had his reasons. Lu Feng and Kuo Choi definitely get the "what the hell is on your ears" award with their headgear. Some people complained that this movie didn't have enough fights, and I disagree. There were plenty peppered throughout and for the finale. You don't always need nonstop action to make a good movie. I only disagree near the ending with Kuo choi's logic, but whatever. Good to see this finally re-released [by Celestial].
| AGREE? | READER COMMENTS | AUTHOR |
| Y | Good call! I guess all thieves have to wear standard issue headgear in the martial arts world. | Mr. Mike |
"House of Traps" was one of the last of Chang Cheh's films and had his trusty Venoms in it. The fights though aren't as breathtaking or memorable as in "Spearman of Death" or "Avenging Warriors of Shaolin", which is typical of his later works.
A decent way to end the whole Venoms saga with "House Of Traps". I wished for more fights, but what was there was really good. Story is okay.
Number 3 in my all time top 10. A true classic. Recommended for any kung fu fan. Non-stop action from start to finish.
-Kung Fu Classic Viewer (see my profile)
| I'd waited to see this movie for about two years. It stars all the Venoms (Kwok Chui, Sun Chien, Lu Feng, Chu Ko, Chiang Sheng, etc.)--the only one missing is Lo Meng, who left the year before I think. It also stars the Baby Venoms like the excellent Chin Sui-Ho ("Fist of Legend", "Legend of the Fox") and Ricky Cheng Tien Chi who is an awesome acrobat and starred along Chang Shan in "7 Steps of Kung Fu". The film itself is good but not their best. The plot is very detailed and features something like a theft of a royal seal which is put in the excellent house of traps. The film isn't action packed, but the fights are the usual fast paced excellnt action. In the first half of the film Chin Sui Ho gets most of the action, then Kwok Chui gets the most--his fight with Lu Feng halfway through is excellent. My complaints are that Sun Chien, who was the best kicker of them all, dosn't get any action and isn't really in it too much; also Ricky Cheng does a few flips with Chiang Sheng and uses his cool umbrella weapon and dies too early. The end fight is great between Wang Li and Lu Feng against Kwok Chui, Yu Tai Ping, Chu Ko and Lung Tien Tsang. This film is one of the most gory Venoms films and features the wierdest weapons of them all. I'd say there are better films of the Venoms, but this still needs to be seen for any action fan. |
| "House Of Traps" is the "Abbey Road" of the Venoms sub-genre. There are parts that don't work (the objectionable torture scene), the story is hard to follow, but the jaw-dropping choreography and the stand-out acting performances save the day.
Two treasures are stolen from the court, and rebellion against the emperor are the two basic plot points of "House Of Traps". The treasures and list of rebels are hidden in the aforementioned house. Some of the Venoms are trying to break into the house, and some are working to protect its treasures. Martial arts mayhem ensues. Special mention must be made of the "Baby Benoms" (Wang Li, Yu Tai Peng, et al) who do the most with their roles. Bonus marks must also be given for the execution (pardon the pun) of the titular house. Great sound effects and gore make it seem like something out of "Deathtrap Dungeon". Repeated viewing is necessary to follow the narrative threads. A nice swan song for the end of an era, and a mandatory part of any Venoms collection. Seeing Chiang Cheng playing an acrobat makes me wish he were still alive, doing cameos for Quentin Tarantino movies or giving out autographs at conventions. Buy "House Of Traps", and give the Venoms the curtain call that they deserve. |
| AGREE? | READER COMMENTS | AUTHOR |
| Y | Overall I agree with you, pretty bizzare ending! Wang Li to me is actually the unofficial sixth Venom, time for his just reward as an era ends! | Sgt. T |
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