Buddha Assassinator (1980)

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Buddha Assassinator (1980)

The arrival of a Ching dynasty prince instigates a treasonous plot among the townsfolk. A secretive band of revolutionaries – blighted by traitors within their own organisation – fail in an assassination attempt on the royal consort after the culprit is identified by a cleaner. The young, bullied dogsbody (played by Mang Hoi) inadvertently becomes chief aid to the prince as a reward for saving his life. He only learns of the warlord’s evil machinations via a third party; his homeless, feral bum of an uncle (played by Chien Yuet-san), a Sam the Seed character who is also one of …

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The Big Fight (1972)

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The Big Fight (1972)

A relentless but competent kung fu film from Taiwan which, contrary to the title, is more like a series of little scuffles followed by a big fight before culminating in a really big fight. Tien Peng and Cheung Ching-ching play the leaders of a rebel group of Chinese kung fu fighters in a Japanese occupied town at the height of the war. Like most of these frothing anti-Japanese films, the real nasties are the traitorous Chinese who play Uncle Tom to the foreign invaders and, in this instance, set up a tournament to identify the best fighters in town so …

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Weapons of Death (1981)

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Weapons of Death (1981)

Cheap American B-movie which descends into non-stop fisticuffs once it veers off-road and into the California outback. Director, writer and actor Paul Kyriazi takes a decent stab at showcasing an array of styles and cultures, albeit in a clumsy fashion. Everyone is fighting over the possession of a kidnapped Chinese girl. She has been stolen from her Chinatown home and bundled into a van by a brutish biker thug channeling Lee Marvin, orchestrated by a wild gang of sword-fighters with a personal vendetta against the girl’s family, and an all-female killer army who appear from the undergrowth like trapdoor ninja. …

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Fist of Unicorn (1972)

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Fist of Unicorn (1972)

On the face of it, this standard revenge film seems generic and innocuous – apart from the bizarre moments when Bruce Lee appears on screen in crude, candid, behind the scenes footage. Lee had taken time out of his busy Game of Death schedule to choreograph the film’s fight scenes as a favour to his childhood friend Unicorn Chan, who was being promoted to leading man status following supporting roles in the Lee films The Big Boss, Fist of Fury and The Way of the Dragon. Lee even released Hapkido expert Ji Han-jae from the Game of Death shoot to appear in …

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Half a Loaf of Kung Fu (1978)

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Half a Loaf of Kung Fu (1978)

Still under contract with Lo Wei, Jackie Chan was finally given full creative control on a film and here is the result: an early hint at the slapstick potential of the kung fu comedy sub-genre. Chan uses his new found freedom to clown about in his own imitable fashion (less Bruce Lee and more Charlie Chaplin), throwing comedic punches at the stifling pictures he was being forced to make at the time, and the more earnest traits of kung fu cinema. Like most formative processes, the film is far from polished, and Chan is still honing the happy-go-lucky persona which …

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Beverly Hills Ninja (1997)

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Beverly Hills Ninja (1997)

The burly Chris Farley is promoted to starring role status with this dumb comedy. The film appeals to his natural abilities as a physical comedian with a story mostly consisting of him bumping into things. With his bowl-cut hairdo and faux superiority, he is charming as the innocent orphan man-child Haru who was raised a ninja in a rather idyllic Japanese dojo setting. “He’s fat, he’s a fool, and he’s an embarrassment to ninjas everywhere,” says his exasperated fighting brother Robin Shou, playing sensai’s pet and straight man to Farley’s tomfoolery. Haru flies to Beverly Hills in pursuit of an …

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The King of the Streets (2012)

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The King of the Streets (2012)

Predictable fight movie from China dogged by pacing issues and a leading man who has seemingly suffered from a charisma lobotomy. It’s an effort to fully warm to the expressionless Yue Song in the lead role, playing a damaged former streetfighter determined to get his young life back on track after eight years behind bars. He winds up protecting an orphanage from a gang of kung fu hoods who apparently want the land to build a resort. The story and characters are riddled with cliche, but at least Yue Song gets the action right: it’s authentic, visceral stuff and free …

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Mr. Nice Guy (1997)

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Mr. Nice Guy (1997)

A cat and mouse tale set in Melbourne involving Jackie Chan as a celebrity TV chef who finds himself the target of top international drug smugglers looking for an incriminating videotape detailing their dirty work. When Jackie assists the fleeing journalist who recorded the footage, the tapes are switched and all hell breaks loose. This commercial caper was the first time Sammo Hung had directed a Jackie Chan film since Dragons Forever in 1988, after which rumours spread of a falling out between the two kung fu stars. There is no sign of animosity here; Sammo even appears as an …

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Profile: Sammo Hung Kam-bo

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Profile: Sammo Hung Kam-bo

Date of birth: 7 January, 1952 (Hong Kong)

Other names: Chu Yuan Lung, Hong Jin Bao, Hung Ching Pao, Samo Hung, Zhu Yuan Long

Occupation: Actor, director, writer, action director, producer, stuntman.

Biography: Sammo Hung has had a profound influence on the continuing development and popularity of Hong Kong action cinema. He has helped to shape new genres, launch film careers, and shine a light on the histories and personalities behind traditional kung fu styles. As a performer, Sammo is a mix of contradictions. His burly frame belies an incredible grace and physicality, and his often buffoonish screen persona disguises an incredible cinematic intellect …

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Spiritual Kung Fu (1978)

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Spiritual Kung Fu (1978)

A sacred manual for the Seven Fists is stolen from the legendary Shaolin Temple and the only style worthy enough to defeat it – the Five Fists – has long since vanished. Thankfully, a meteorite hits the temple unearthing the spirits of the Five Fists style, who teach their deadly animal kung fu to lazy student Jackie Chan so he can help when the Seven Fist thief strikes again. What makes this Lo Wei adventure so endearing is the shoddy special effects. With Star Wars released the previous year, Spiritual Kung Fu plainly outlines the poor quality of Hong Kong …

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