Reviewed by:
Emaxx ....
........ HWANG JANG LEE'S presence in any movie is enough to make you itch with curiosity . His kicking skills are magnificent and he is arguably the best kicker of all time. This film marks HWANG JANG LEE' S first attempt at directing and if that wasn't enough he also produced and starred in this piece.
An over-simplified story , if there ever was one---HWANG is in search of money stolen from him and simultaneously seeking revenge on the lackey --TINO WONG (invincible armour) -- who abused a family member . TINO WONG'S leader is EDDIE KO HUNG (thundering mantis) and as the villian he serves up some delightful shapes that is seldom seen anywhere on the silver screen . The story meanders in the middle of the film and as a result the film lost a bit of it's egde for the second half an hour . However, the movie regained momentum when HWANG JANG LEE'S wandering of the martial world culminated with a showdown with baddie EDDIE KO HUNG . Both fighters started the fray with staffs , and with the propable exceptions of HELL'S WIND STAFF and INVINCIBLE POLE FIGHTER , I have never seen stick fighting as wonderfully choreographed as they were here . The choreography itself was done by COREY YUEN ( 7 grandmasters) and MENG HAI ( buddha assassinator) .This was a virtual bonanza of shapes and styles with and without staff .
Needless to say ,HWANG JANG LEE performs some of his trademark kicks with sheer awe. In one scene with TINO WONG he also demonstrated his abilities with his hands , it was truly entertaining .
Mind you, when I saw this flick in jamaica way back in the 80's , it was called " budda's disciple", However , the name of a film is only as valid as the substance it reveals ,and for pure martial arts substance ........this flick is a top drawer item .
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....Fight scenes are simply a tribute to the genre .
.......choreography is typical of COREY YUEN : elegant ,flamboyant and stylish .
......Story is so and so ...... however, that takes a back seat to one of the greatest exponent of the martial arts showcasing his wares with speed and deadly precision.
This is a movie worth having by any and all means .
.......A treat.. !!!!
emaxx(audley)
