Chris Lee opens with some fairly elegant images to accompany his gangster story but soon it develops in that very thing, just another gangster story. This time set against the backdrop of the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong with rebels trying to reclaim their land. Divided loyalties becomes the biggest plot point eventually. Lee tries to overcome his own shortcomings as a director through action but it barely registers as passable since dark cinematography, quick-cuts and close-ups are elements that dominate the fights. Things improve during the finale as the mayhem includes guns as well and our villain Damian Lau is a lot of fun to watch during these moments. Also with Roy Cheung and Vincent Wan.

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What turned out to be last get together for some fighting between his old and more recent on-screen talent, Chang Cheh post-Shaw Brothers goes for the bare plot as an excuse for a constant stream of fighting centering around an escort mission of Mr. Gau (Chiang Ming) who carries with him a sought after document. Some nonsense about patriotism and Chang Cheh injecting forced drama (we get to know no one including Andy Lau but a romantic montage is still in order), you can still go with the basics because The Shanghai Thirteen was designed as a fighting showcase and it delivers. Several complex, gory and slow-mo death scenes together with doses of humour like a cigarette piercing someone's forehead, Wong Ching as a continually giggling fighter (fits as his smile is so wide) plus knowing there's a recognizable fighting cameo around every corner, we get the best for last in true fashion as Ti Lung goes head to head with Ricky Cheng. A mediocre film but one of Chang Cheh's last really good movies before giving us merely sporadic bursts of greatness in increasingly cheaper films before his directing career was over. Among others Jimmy Wang Yu, David Chiang, Chen Kuan-Tai, Danny Lee, Chi Kuan-Chun, Leung Kar-Yan and Chan Sing appear.

Criminally generic and designed simplistically to the T, this indie obviously doesn't care for making a mark on the genre. That's why it unashamedly features little story surprises, ranging from the coveted gold seal at the core of the story, brothers separated by birth only identifiable via half jade bracelets, drunken masters, the temptations of being a monk to moral values and further bla bla. While the production has invested in good acrobats that deliver the action choreography well when called upon to, Shaolin And Taichi needed to realize that it required some charisma somewhere. A few scenes being on the VERY truncated and illogical side doesn't help either.

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KENNETH'S REVIEW: Easy to sit through as it reaches just above the 70 minute mark but easy to dispose of and forget too, Shaolin Boxers was clearly never meant to be a standout coming from Golden Harvest. James Tien and fellow students protect the honor of their school and safety of their fellow villagers whilst fighting within boring Ching Siu-Tung choreography. Hon Gwok-Choi displays neat acrobatics in the sole worthwhile fight scene while Mars appears in a fighting cameo.

The output of 1977 by Joseph Kuo was pretty abysmal but out of the trio of The Shaolin Brothers, The Shaolin Kids and The 8 Masters, the latter even at the incredibly boring 90 minute length is heads and shoulders over the dynasty power struggles that essentially summarized the other flicks. Although appearing interesting initially as The Shaolin Brothers mixes in a hopping vampire storyline, despite being relatively unexplored in cinema by this point Kuo's handling of the cinema-friendly material (essentially shooting any moody scene in slooooooow motion and letting it run endlessly) is as boring as when the huge character gallery across the dynasties conspires and fights against each other. Essentially Ming rebels disguises as Taoist priests for a few reels while ruthless Ching general played by Carter Wong pursues. Only briefly showcasing intense and messy action in a compelling way, the scenes in particular towards the end are more than decent set pieces on their own but obviously lack impact in the whole scheme of things.

Less of the kung fu (yet still well put together when it does appear) and more of a fantasy comedy romp along the lines of The Miracle Fighters, it's understandable why efforts such as Yuen Woo-Ping's Shaolin Drunkard never really found the widespread audience that Drunken Master or The Magnificent Butcher did. Broad to the max and very uniquely Asian, since director Yuen and his brothers focus all energy on delivering silliness, albeit very creative silliness, it's a film for audiences that have embraced but maybe there also are those that dare embrace the low-brow nature to their Hong Kong filmmaking. Some quite stomach churning gore and body horror at times disrupt the goofy surface but having gone past those thresholds successfully, Shaolin Drunkard becomes manic fun from the Yuen Clan.

Yuen Yat Chor, Yuen Cheung Yan (as the titular drunkard as well as Yat Chor's grandma. The latter role being a reference back to The Miracle Fighters), Yuen Chun Yee, Yeung Hoi Yi and Eddy Ko star. Director Yuen Woo-Ping appears in a cameo.

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Quite disgustingly transparent with its intentions, part of Shaolin Ex Monk is a gloriously failed Jackie Chan imitator starring Blacky Ko (who was never a good kung fu comedy lead. Would work better in gangster roles) with light shenanigans set to Warner Brothers cartoon music and none of it works. When bringing in other familiarity such as when John Liu's character trains's Blacky, Shaolin Ex Monk starts to click as Liu brings charisma and trademark kicking to the picture. Traditional action therefore comes alive but it's the more wire enhanced aspects that entertains more as Liu's characters begins unveiling a mystery surrounding a masked ninja and several murders. It's not a plot we keep up with but overall Shaolin Ex Monk has its share of eye brow raising moments and truthfully, it's almost all due to Liu's solid presence regardless of what he's doing. Also with Jack Long.

All involved in this Shaw Brother's production (including action director Tong Gaai) punches in as usual but does deliver fair competence considering the common plot framework. David Chiang is Cheng Ying who is taught the titular technique fully but has his family murdered by Fang Yu Biao (Chan Shen) shortly after his final training has concluded. Yu Biao was hired by wealthy smuggler Lin Hao (Lo Lieh) and Cheng Ying goes to Thailand to execute a revenge plot. It starts by stealing Lin Hao's gold in order to prove his worth and get close to him as only bodyguards can...

Therefore seemingly lensed in Thailand partly, the setting is more modern as we get the sights of trains and the action direction contains motor bike stunts for one scene. Director Hoh Mung-Wa (The Mighty Peking Man) does roll full steam ahead concerning his revenge plot but stopping at the very last second is a choice that generates more of a curious narrative when we see Cheng Ying manipulate his surroundings to believe other ones but him are after Lin Hao. Michael Chan co-stars while Kara Hui and Dick Wei briefly appear.

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Marshal Wong Fei (Ti Lung) rounds up Ming rebels and Shaolin brothers for the Ching dynasty and proceeds to torture and train them for possible use in the Ching army. Wong Fei is suspected to be working undercover however...

With sets looking suspiciously like being on loan from Shaw Brothers, Wu Ma has also gathered up cast and crew worthy of an entry in the Shaw Brothers catalogue. This means a great deal of talent, a great deal of talent put to good use and I Kuang's script is straight faced and very sharp, complemented by very present actors such as Ti Lung and Michael Chan (looking incredibly well immersed in this period movie in particular). The mystery isn't great but Wu Ma keeps interest because The Shaolin Heroes doesn't echo templates. Much is supposed to be heartbreaking and again while no great shakes in terms of its twists, competence keeps Wu Ma's vision very much alive. Especially when the movie is so well costumed and the sets are magnificent. With Dorian Tan, Wong Chung, Danny Lee, Wong Ching, Wu Ma and Shih Szu. Action directed by Robert Tai and the movie is also known as simply The Heroes.