Another glorious drama from the Shaw Brothers studio, following a similar story to their many others, with the noticeable change of setting: instead of ancient China we're here introduced to the 1920s Shanghai backdrop for the classic tale of one man's rise and fall in the power stakes. Imagine this a kind of Chinese SCARFACE; its morals of the power of corruption, the falsity of greed, and its story structure are all very similar. Unfortunately it's a lengthy film that can't quite retain interest throughout all of its scenes, meaning I had to watch it in a number of goes to follow the story. And although the kung fu fights are adequate for the most part, they are hardly classic examples of choreography, with a few exceptions (the battle with the Russian fighter is a great one for example).
The thing that holds this film together remarkably well are the performances. Chen Kuan Tai (EXECUTIONERS FROM SHAOLIN) is excellent as the lead, a dedicated, ruthless but humane young man, and he proves to be a worthwhile hero. John Cheung (SNAKE IN THE MONKEY'S SHADOW) provides support as his loyal friend and servant, whilst Shaw Brothers hero David Chiang excels in his more minor turn as a boss. The villains are a remarkable bunch, consisting of the vicious 'Four Champions', and their performances are also excellent (as is the usual for a Shaw Brothers movie). The most memorable thing by far in this film is the thirty-minute finale, in which a mortally wounded Chen Kuan Tai attempts to get revenge on those who caused his death and also the death of his friend. The result is a real bloodbath of a fight, with violent director Chang Cheh really making use of the crimson gore with endless blood spurts and slimy torsos. Watching this finale is a real test, as you can almost feel Tai's pain thanks to his strong acting. In fact the film is worth watching for this tour-de-force climax alone.
The thing that holds this film together remarkably well are the performances. Chen Kuan Tai (EXECUTIONERS FROM SHAOLIN) is excellent as the lead, a dedicated, ruthless but humane young man, and he proves to be a worthwhile hero. John Cheung (SNAKE IN THE MONKEY'S SHADOW) provides support as his loyal friend and servant, whilst Shaw Brothers hero David Chiang excels in his more minor turn as a boss. The villains are a remarkable bunch, consisting of the vicious 'Four Champions', and their performances are also excellent (as is the usual for a Shaw Brothers movie). The most memorable thing by far in this film is the thirty-minute finale, in which a mortally wounded Chen Kuan Tai attempts to get revenge on those who caused his death and also the death of his friend. The result is a real bloodbath of a fight, with violent director Chang Cheh really making use of the crimson gore with endless blood spurts and slimy torsos. Watching this finale is a real test, as you can almost feel Tai's pain thanks to his strong acting. In fact the film is worth watching for this tour-de-force climax alone.