Director: Chang Cheh
Year: 1982
Country: Hong Kong
Alternative Titles: Shi a ban wu yo
Genre: Kung-Fu
Plot:
Desperate to increase his hold on the community, a corrupt martial arts leader decides to start a campaign of discrimination against the former members of the clan he was a part of, forcing himself into their head position once their reputation is destroyed. When a band of assassins gets wind of the plan, they set out to stop his plans but are routinely thwarted at every turn due to the mystical powers of the fighter and the inability to determine the true identity of their target. Finally finding the real figure at the center of the conspiracy who’s been hiding in plain sight all along, the small band of warriors set out to honor their masters' teachings once and for all.
Review:
This was one of the most enjoyable and entertaining films of the time with only a few minor problems with it. The biggest thing with it is that it has far too much plot than what should be the case here. It grows incredibly troubling especially as time goes on since it features just about everything under the sun: hypnosis, mistaken identity, voodoo dolls, mind control, cross-dressing, and supernatural martial arts, all wrapped up together in one package. Since the series of characters here all tend to go by the same identity which makes for a generally confusing time when no one knows who’s the suspected target. Using trickery like cross-dressing and differing genders only enhances the confusion, and with so many different elements in play, this one feels somewhat overstuffed with various aspects. That makes for an unbelievably confusing entry, but thankfully this one area is all that's wrong here.
Outside of this one problematic feature, this is a lot of fun. The best part of this is that it comes with some spectacular choreography, including one timeless sequence where one fighter controls another with a voodoo doll while trying to keep it out of the enemy's henchmen's hands while the battle goes on outside that just strikes the tip of the great martial arts battles here, and the finale involving all of the titular weaponry is one of the genre's best battles ever filmed. The numerous showcase pieces for the various assassins looking to figure out their target which take the form of street demonstrations are fun and enjoyable, while the training sequences to get back into shape provide this one with the kind of fast-paced intricate fighting that makes for a great time. Along with some great humor and a pretty enjoyable pace, this one has a lot going for it and is pretty entertaining.
Overview: ****/5
One of the better features of the Golden Age of Kung-Fu films from the late 70s-mid 80s, this one stands up incredibly well with so many classics of the genre while only being let down by the confusing nature of its overstuffed screenplay. Any fan of classic Martial Arts films or the creative crew will have plenty to like about this one while only those who aren’t fans of the style will be turned off here.
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