Made by a small independent company based in Hong Kong but the countryside looks Taiwanese and the main villain (Pai Ying) was a leading Taiwanese character actor. Gathered around him are some truly strange henchmen including the giant Siu Gam with a giant golden club and the very odd 'Wolf Man'. The rather eponymous hero (Barry Wai) and his troupe of young students (why does one have sticking plasters on his head ? is there some significance in this) fight well with the Butcher (Sit Hon) and his niece (the pretty Nancy Yen) and the final fights are spectacular even with a slightly odd King Hu like ending. The story itself is confusing at times with crosses and double crosses, not helped by several strange edit jumps at least on my Warner's edition. Money was obviously spent on costumes and sets and some of the scenery is wonderful, well caught by cinematographer Yue Wu. Actuion direction was by Ho Wai-hung who seems happier with weapons than open fist techniques but it all works pretty well. This looks like it could have been an absolute classic if made by say Chang Cheh at Shaws but slightly misses the mark but is worth watching and was a brave attempt at trying to make a big film.
5 Reviews
this movie
jacobjohntaylor126 September 2020
Above average production, story and fight sequences
ckormos118 March 2016
Note that "Boxer's Adventure" is an alternate title for this movie. It is the title that is on the Ocean Shores VHS box. Dr. Craig Reid's book "The Ultimate Guide to Martial Arts Movies of the 1970s" also lists a movie titled "Boxer's Adventure". The movie reviewed by Dr. Reid has no alternate titles and stars Mang Fei and Blacky Ko.
This movie opens to soldiers fighting in a war. Barry Chan goes from war hero to street performer with some children. There are problems with the tax collector. Barry leaves and for some reason Nancy Yen follows him and they fight. He exchanges a few blows then runs off with the kids. A street vendor (Sit Hon) who challenged the tax collectors discusses the situation with an elder. Then he finds people murdered. Cut back to Suen Lam the tax collector and now Nancy Yen challenges his authority. Then she finds her parents murdered. Her uncle is Sit Hon and they talk. Then they are attacked by a gang. One admits being the murderer. Nancy submits her grievance to Barry's former general. The official is about to confess the whole story but he is silenced by a dart. One of the best bad guys ever, Pai Ying, steps on stage as the top bad guy in this story too.
The picture is full screen and good quality but VHS cropped sides. There are high production values, a coherent story line, great stunt men, and actors who can also fight. About the last thirty minutes of the movie is non-stop action. I recommend this movie for all fans of the genre and rate it above average.
This movie opens to soldiers fighting in a war. Barry Chan goes from war hero to street performer with some children. There are problems with the tax collector. Barry leaves and for some reason Nancy Yen follows him and they fight. He exchanges a few blows then runs off with the kids. A street vendor (Sit Hon) who challenged the tax collectors discusses the situation with an elder. Then he finds people murdered. Cut back to Suen Lam the tax collector and now Nancy Yen challenges his authority. Then she finds her parents murdered. Her uncle is Sit Hon and they talk. Then they are attacked by a gang. One admits being the murderer. Nancy submits her grievance to Barry's former general. The official is about to confess the whole story but he is silenced by a dart. One of the best bad guys ever, Pai Ying, steps on stage as the top bad guy in this story too.
The picture is full screen and good quality but VHS cropped sides. There are high production values, a coherent story line, great stunt men, and actors who can also fight. About the last thirty minutes of the movie is non-stop action. I recommend this movie for all fans of the genre and rate it above average.
Generally undistinguished kung fu with a good ending
Leofwine_draca16 August 2015
MILITANT EAGLE is a low-rent historical kung fu epic that was made by a Hong Kong studio and shot in Taiwan. The over-complicated storyline involves the typical nefarious bad guys and a diverse group of heroes who end up joining forces to battle the real foes. To this end the hero is a kind of travelling showman who brings a group of bratty, over-eager kids in tow. He runs in with the usual bragging criminal types and is forced to team up with a vengeful butcher and his niece in order to bring the criminals to justice.
For the most part this is a very typical and middling kung fu story, not helped by the usual poor dubbing and pan-and-scan print of the version I saw. The performances are average for the genre but it's the fight scenes that make or break films such as this. Unfortunately they're equally undistinguished; there's nothing here that hasn't been done a zillion times before, and it's impossible to get excited over the over-choreographed and stylised fight routines.
Saying that, MILITANT EAGLE does have one good scene: the fast and frenetic fighting of the extended climax. The entire last half an hour is a massive brawl between the heroes and the various baddies assailed against them, including a huge bald giant wearing a loincloth and carrying a massive golden club. His eventual fate has to be seen to be believed! If the film had been like this all the way through it would have been more fun, but that first hour really drags it down unfortunately.
For the most part this is a very typical and middling kung fu story, not helped by the usual poor dubbing and pan-and-scan print of the version I saw. The performances are average for the genre but it's the fight scenes that make or break films such as this. Unfortunately they're equally undistinguished; there's nothing here that hasn't been done a zillion times before, and it's impossible to get excited over the over-choreographed and stylised fight routines.
Saying that, MILITANT EAGLE does have one good scene: the fast and frenetic fighting of the extended climax. The entire last half an hour is a massive brawl between the heroes and the various baddies assailed against them, including a huge bald giant wearing a loincloth and carrying a massive golden club. His eventual fate has to be seen to be believed! If the film had been like this all the way through it would have been more fun, but that first hour really drags it down unfortunately.
Excellent movie
skullfire-4801223 June 2021
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