Fen zhu chi lao hu (1980) Poster

User Reviews

Review this title
2 Reviews
Sort by:
Filter by Rating:
7/10
Master Killers
gorthu20 April 2009
Warning: Spoilers
This movie starts out really really bad, but if you can make it through the first hour, you are in for a real treat. I'm not going to go over the horrible story, because it's just not worth it. The reason to get this is to see Bolo Yeung give a good fighting performance, and the final fight is one of the most amazing things I have ever seen. Phillip Ko is in top form (which means your jaw will drop and smash right through the floor), and he takes on Blacky Ko and Cassanova Wong. It's 12 minutes of pure bliss.

////////

///////
5 out of 6 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
6/10
low budget, recycled scenes, standard final fight for average results
ckormos19 December 2016
It starts with the usual demonstrations over the opening titles. At the kung fu school Chan Lau leads a class. A new guy is hired for the kitchen. New guy, Blacky Ko, feeds the beggar who warns him he is in a den of deplorables. Cut to Casanova Wong's street show. Chan Lau interrupts but Casanova wins the fight. In doing so he has revealed something about his style that involves the school's master. A scar on the new guy's arm is also linked to the past.

The first 25 minutes were all comedy and then a serious revenge plot appears. But then the story goes to the old beggar and the comedy returns. I did not like the comedic parts and felt the comedic fights were not well choreographed and not well executed. Yet the serious fights were good, so go figure.

The great Bolo Yeung lurks in the background and steps in to kill the wife. He returns for the final fight. Bolo made a career out of playing the big bad and usually dumb fighter. Heroes in these movies were never tall body builders. Bolo was the king of the scene showing how the smaller hero could overcome the larger opponent. I can recall only two fight scenes Bolo survived and one he actually won. That had to play on even the humblest man's ego so I have to give him credit for taking on that thankless role so many times and delivering a great fight every time.

My copy is a digital file the size and shape of a VHS transfer but it was likely recorded from a television broadcast because the picture flips like the old television pictures used to do. It is English dubbed and the voice over actors are just one notch short of annoying.

This movie is low budget, low quality, and uses scenes that have been done before over and over. It is only for the hard core fans who just never tire of it and I rate it straight average for the year and genre.
1 out of 1 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

See also

Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews


Recently Viewed