Film Reviews by None

Excellent Hong Kong kung-fu flick! A must-see for any fan of the genre.

With characters who go by such monikers as Wind, Cloud, Mud Buddha, Fire Monkey, Conquer, Charity, and so on, the only fight worthy of the name in this big budget stinker is the one at which character has the most laughable name. The special effects are anything but special, the fight scenes too short and far from spectacular and the plot has more holes than West Ham's defence. To top it all, halfway through the film it turns into a 5 minute MTV-like music video which I had to fast forward. I need to watch a Jackie Chan or Jet Li film to get rid of the horrible aftertaste.

Unfortunately, I must give it a 1 as there is no 0 available.

Sonny Chiba, Japan's answer to Bruce Lee, stars in this spectacular martial arts flick as the hero with dubious morals and a deadly karate. A gritty, raw and extremely violent film with amazing fight sequences and a wonderful 70s funky soundtrack with a Japanese flavour. Definetely not one for the squeamish.

5/5 stars.

Bruce Lee stars and directs this excellent kung fu flick. The "Little Dragon" plays Tang Lung, a boy from Hong Kong's countryside sent to Rome to protect a Chinese restaurant from a gang of thugs (the "Mafia" is not mentioned, although the implication is not so subtle). Lee puts in a great performance, showing also great acting ability, particularly when it comes to the more comedic moments. Although the plot is fairly simple, the excellent action more than makes up for it, particularly a scene where Lee shows his proficiency with traditional weapons such as the staff and the deadly nunchaku, and the epic fight scene in the Colosseum against Chuck Norris.

An absolute must for fans of the genre. The extras are also very good, including the retrospective on the movie and interviews with the producers and co-stars.

5 out of 5