RIVALS OF KUNG FU is one of many Wong Fei Hung movies made in Hong Kong over the last few decades. This one is made by Shaw Brothers, featuring the virtually unknown actor Shih Chung Tien as the eponymous healer and fighter, and ENTER THE DRAGON bad guy Shih Kien as his ruthless rival, a role that the actor had played many times in earlier Wong Fei Hung movies in his career.
There's plenty to recognise here in scenes of a careful and controlled Fei Hung healing members of the community and doing his best by everybody, and in the hands of Shaw the production values are exemplary. It's not an action-packed spectacle, but there's a huge brawling fight that begins in a tea house and ends up with a massive showdown in the streets. This takes place around the mid point and is the highlight of the movie, with the climactic lion dance a slight anticlimax afterwards.
The supporting cast is generally interesting, and features femme fatale Lily Li in a non-fighting role, although she gets plenty of screen time. Kien is a delight, as always, while Chan Shen makes for his usual menacing hero. Fans of '80s comedies like MR. VAMPIRE will be delighted to see Ricky Hui in a small role and, yes, he gets a funny comic sub-plot involving some macabre shenanigans. Bruceploitation star Bruce Le also randomly shows up and gets the opportunity to kick some backside. This isn't one of Shaw's best films, but it's a solid effort from them regardless.
There's plenty to recognise here in scenes of a careful and controlled Fei Hung healing members of the community and doing his best by everybody, and in the hands of Shaw the production values are exemplary. It's not an action-packed spectacle, but there's a huge brawling fight that begins in a tea house and ends up with a massive showdown in the streets. This takes place around the mid point and is the highlight of the movie, with the climactic lion dance a slight anticlimax afterwards.
The supporting cast is generally interesting, and features femme fatale Lily Li in a non-fighting role, although she gets plenty of screen time. Kien is a delight, as always, while Chan Shen makes for his usual menacing hero. Fans of '80s comedies like MR. VAMPIRE will be delighted to see Ricky Hui in a small role and, yes, he gets a funny comic sub-plot involving some macabre shenanigans. Bruceploitation star Bruce Le also randomly shows up and gets the opportunity to kick some backside. This isn't one of Shaw's best films, but it's a solid effort from them regardless.