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Legendary Weapons of China More at IMDbPro »Shi ba ban wu yi (original title)
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| Index | 12 reviews in total |
17 out of 17 people found the following review useful:
redressing the balance, 28 March 2001
Author:
madalaoni from london
The earlier comments give an unfair slating to what is an enjoyable film.The gaffes are obvious , (in such films as this the 1st class director Liu Chia Liang, was redefining the kung fu film , after the earlier swordplay flicks, and bruce lee's seminal movies, this film is set in late Ching dynasty China.) This is a film of rare quality , combining humour , a reasonable plot and some displays of great martial artistry, such as are no longer found in but a handful of films. The choreography is excellent, (only Sammo Hung at his best approaches Liu 's ability to film a fight with loving care for displaying technique)This film also benefits from the presence of the charismatic Fu Sheng and the Multi talented Hui Ying Hung. The special effects are cheap , but cheerful.(the previous reviewer seems to have missed that the purpose of all the bladed cloaks etc. was to show that tricks are no substitute for skill, skill no defence against bullets ... A classic of Kung Fu cinema
7 out of 8 people found the following review useful:
Missed the point, 15 October 2004
Author:
steve bentley (mantisfist6@hotmail.com) from york, england
The last reviewer of this film missed the point. This film is excellent
and the last 30 minutes contains some of the best martial arts action
committed to film. Yes, the plot is ridiculous and the dubbing makes
everyone sound like a porn star but you don't watch kung fu films for
the acting skill and production values. You watch them for escapism and
entertainment.
The story itself is about the rise of the gun in china and the
director, who also stars, attempting to show how pointless it was to
fight the evil of the gun.
Lei Kung is a martial arts master whose speciality is 'pugilism'(i
suppose it was easier to dub that word than what the real skill is
called), which is basically invulnerability to conventional weapons
(swords, knives, blades etc). He decided to dissolve his sect within
the school he taught in to protect his students. He was forced to do
this as his superiors were ordering other sect to practice 'pugilism'
with the proviso of ultimately being able to withstand bullets.
So now it is several years later, Lei Kung is hiding out as a
woodcutter, and the bad guys send some martial arts experts to seek him
out and kill him. At first we know of three: Ti Hau, the best student
of a master who teaches partial invulnerability and techniques to
confuse the enemy. Chao Ching, who is a woman, but who dresses as a man
to mingle with the populace. She can see how attempting to overcome the
gun with 'pugilism' is pointless and wants to join Lei Kung. Finally
there is Ti Tan, another master 'pugilist'.
While they are searching another man whose name is not revealed is
searching for Lei Kung. His skill seems to be based on hypnotism, and
dolls. He hypnotises a person, then uses a doll to control their
movements, thus having someone fight for him.
Ti Hau ends up getting ill whilst searching, but is saved be Lei Kung
who nurses him back to help with Chau Ching's help. She convinces Lei
Kung that she wants to help, but doubts if they can convince Ti Hau
when he gets better. It does not matter ultimately, because the other
mysterious fighter tracks Lei Kung down. They fight, but Lei kung is
well out of practice and is defeated easily. But the mysterious bad guy
is Lei Kung's brother, Lei Yung who explains that he was also given the
order to kill but can't kill his own brother. He suggests that Lei Kung
begins to proactive again to recover his strength and power. That way
he can defend himself against other killers who are after him.
Hi trains hard, and starts to get his power back. But Ti Tan turns up
and starts to kick off. Ti Hau tries to explain that Lei Kung is a
woodcutter who only knows basic kung fu taught to him by Chau Ching. Ti
Tan is not convinced and begins his attack. Chau ching defends but is
no match, neither is Ti Hau. So it is time for Lei Kung o flex hi
muscles. He fights and in doing so speeds up his strength recovery. He
defeats Ti Tan, but in doing so let's it slip that he really is Lei
kung. Ti Hau runs off, not knowing what to do, he has witnessed Lei
Kungs far superior martial skill and is unsure of how to proceed. Ti
Hau returns that night, using his skills he tries to convince Lei Kung
and Chau Ching that he has gathered many men, but they are dummies and
Lei Kung sees through the deception. But it is not Ti Hau but his
master who is attacking. Another great fight scene follows with Ti Hau
turning up half way through and his own teacher turning on him when he
realises he cannot kill Lei Kung. In trying to kill his student, he
shows Ti Hau that there is more to life than killing and his own life
is worth something. This is the reason Lei Kung disbanded his school,
to protect his students who he knew would die if they tried to
withstand the gun. Lei Kung defeats Ti Haus' master who then tries to
kill himself. Ti Hau stops him, and his teacher also sees that perhaps
his way of life is wrong, and his pupil's lives are not expendable. He
leaves suggesting Ti Hau remain to carry on training and learning with
Lei Kung and Chau Ching. Lei Kung walks off and dusts off his 'holy
robes' explaining that he has to go to the city temple to see his
brother. He explains that his brother is not really going to let him
walk away, but wanted him to train up and face him in a duel to the
death. He takes his 2 new students with him, and then fights his
brother using weapons combat in some of the most amazing choreography i
have seen in a kung fu film. He defeats his brother who he then tells
to go back and report that he killed him. His brother is left broken,
finally realising that personal glory is no substitute for having a
rich and meaningful life.
5 out of 5 people found the following review useful:
Lui Chia Liang goodness, 12 December 2005
Author:
Masta_Ruthless from Memphis Tn
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
Shaw Brothers never take a rest with movie goodness. This is just
another to add to their list of awesome Kung Fu flicks. What's funny is
that I see a lot of reviews trashing this movie. Let me give you the
lowdown on this movie and some reviewer advice.
The story is a very interesting one seeing a Pugalist (if I spelled it
right} leaving the clan, because of their false claim to be invincible
to fire arms. This master refuses to see innocent people subjected to
this and leaves for good.
Next he is hunted down by others so he can be exterminated, only to
find his kung fu skills have worn down, but that all changes. Anyway
the fight scenes are very well put together, and Lui Chia Liang adds
some flare with is brothers Gordon Liu and Liu Chia Ying.
This movie is one of the many great films produced by the Shaw Brothers
with excellent choreography. Now let me get to the small mined reviews.
Some people look at movies to find little things to gripe about. This
movie is no exception, if you like action and good fights check this
one out.
Don't be fooled by the people with no imagination, this movie was by
far a good ride. Listen to a martial arts movie buff vs a person who
just picks it up because it's there. If that doesn't convince you, then
use this.
Who would you rather make your pizza, that pizza man who owned his
business for about 10 years, or that mechanic with oil and grease on
this hands?
4 out of 4 people found the following review useful:
A good kungfu movie if you can get past some details..., 8 December 2004
Author:
avarus-1 from Reno, US
This is a great kung fu movie once you get the opening done with. The storyline is fairly confusing in the beginning, but that passes with time. The fight scenes are neat to watch, but they get exponentially better as time goes on. The fight with Gordon Liu (36th Chamber) is good and the final fight WAS FANTASTIC! This isn't a movie to sit down and watch for the stimulation. The character development isn't as good as FIVE VENOMS, or SWORDSMAN II, but it's fair. The weapons fighting is just unbelievable in the last fight scene. All in all, if you are a fan of kung-fu movies, get around to checking this one out. The three-section-staff work is even better than in 36th Chamber.
3 out of 4 people found the following review useful:
a real treat, 15 November 2007
Author:
(winner55) from United States
This is a brilliantly constructed film. I suppose those who remark it
having a 'poor plot' long for something more simple, more direct, more
traditionally 'Shaw Bros.' To be sure, the plot is intended to provide
support for the interlaced themes, but it is complex and meaty on its
own terms.
However the themes are indeed the heart of the film. The comic scene of
the fake kung fu battle is clearly intended as a parody of the
traditional swordplay film, down to the hand-squeezed blood-squib. The
use of magic kung fu is, less clearly because more subtly, intended to
debunk the myth of such magic, reducing it to a kind of martial-arts
parlor trick - magnificently staged, but of course ineffective against
anything other than itself. The real martial arts are at last presented
with considerable credibility in the final third of the film, but is
intended to remind us that, as powerful as it could be, the martial
arts cannot compete with modern weaponry. Along the way, we also deal
with problems of family loyalty, national loyalty (vs. phony
'patriotism'), and the nature of the spirituality necessary to master
the martial arts, which requires an open mind and compassion rather
than blind dedication.
What director Liu is reaching for is nothing less than a complete
debunking of all the nonsense that had wrapped itself around the study
of the martial arts in the 19th century and which was resurrected in
the wake of the kung fu film phenomenon of the 1970s. Liu is asking us
to respect, even admire, the martial arts, perhaps to learn them - but
on their own terms, without all the myths that obscure their real
essence.
This makes for a highly sophisticated script, which Liu carefully keeps
popularized not only through the use of humor but, more importantly, by
tight compression of story and editing. Blink and you will surely miss
an important event.
As for the staging and camera-work some have remarked - technically,
this film is pure classic Shaw Bros.
And as for the martial arts in the final battle - absolutely
magnificent.
Unique in its genre and a real treat.
5 out of 8 people found the following review useful:
Plot jumbled Kung Fu Extravaganza!, 15 July 2005
Author:
Chung Mo from NYC
Liu Chi Liang stands as the best kung fu director ever. As a kung fu
master himself, he gives the films a unique perspective on the fighting
arts. The fight scenes are the best combination of actual martial art
ability, choreography, camera work and crazy effects you can get. Maybe
Stephen Chow comes close. Watching Liu Chia Liang and his protégés at
work is sublime.
That said, this film is a mixed bag. The opening 10 minutes are choppy
and confusing. The film changes course for about 20 minutes to give
Alexander Fu Sheng two elaborate comic scenes. The characters are about
as shallow as you can get until 3/4 of the way into the film. In
addition, the film ends very abruptly. The whole thing seems a flimsy
excuse to stage fight scenes. But the fight scenes, what you get!
Nearly every fight scene is amazing.
Liu Chia Liang, his brother and Liu Chia Hui are in full power here.
The finale gives us the two brothers in an extended fight with the
title weapons. If you can get the Celestial Films DVD, I suggest
watching it on the largest screen you can find. Otherwise you'll miss
the intricate moves of these two. The English dub is terrible, avoid if
possible.
If you want a better plot try the director's 36th Chamber or Dirty Ho.
If it's a fighting extravaganza you want, here it is.
One of the best old school kung fu movies, 1 January 2012
Author:
ckormos1 from United States
Chia Liang Liu did a masterful job of action choreography and directing here. Then he stepped in front of the camera and did some of the best weapons work ever put on film. That would be enough but add Hou Hsaio's skills, Alex Fu Sheng doing a comic character, Gordon Liu's iron head,and Kara Hui's graceful movements to the mix. It seems Chia Liang Liu was just a stuntman during the post Bruce Lee era when realism in martial arts movies was important. In 1982 when he had the full power of the director the genre had gone into the Fant-Asia style. With this film he goes back to the realism that I prefer. My favorite line would have to be Gordon's "You're in shiat and not worthy to fight me. Take a bath first."
Legendary weapon masters..., 8 November 2011
Author:
poe426 from USA
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
Using the kind of misguided thinking that led to outright slaughter during The Boxer Rebellion (during which gung fu experts, convinced that their prowess would protect them against gunfire, found out otherwise), Gordon Liu has his men line up in front of what amounts to a firing squad. Reasoning that there may be a chink in their armor after all, he decides to fall back and regroup. Meanwhile, a manhunt is underway for Lei Kung, a kung fu master who seems to have vanished into thin air. Several cases of mistaken identity occur and, at one point, Alexander Fu Sheng tries to pass himself off as the missing master. He pays the price for his little deception. All of this is incidental to what has to be one of the greatest fight sequences in martial arts movie history. It's so good that it has to be seen to be appreciated, and it's why I rate LEGENDARY WEAPONS OF CHINA a solid ten. The scene lasts a full five or six minutes and is worth seeing by anyone who likes martial arts movies.
2 out of 6 people found the following review useful:
Best Kung Fu Movie Intro, 16 March 2004
Author:
pwd22 (pwd22@drexel.edu) from Philadelphia, USA
This movie has one of the best introductions of any film I have ever seen.
The introduction shows a woman demonstrating several weapons of Kung Fu
while sinister music plays. By demonstrating, I mean killing several men
with these deadly weapons of Kung Fu! This movie has great style and
creativity throughout. The story line is actually good, but might take
several viewings to really understand what is going on.
Like others have said, it is not really a serious martial arts film, but
it
is one of my favorites nonetheless. You cannot beat the sinister
music/introduction sequence in the beginning of the movie. That is worth
watching alone. If you are a fan of Chinese Super Ninja, you will also
like
this movie.
0 out of 9 people found the following review useful:
Stupid nonsense, so stupid it's quite funny, 6 February 2001
Author:
Depraeter Luc from belgium
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
This movie is silly. But it is meant to be silly. However, there are some real stupid things in it, that are so stupid they are actually quite funny. One of the stupidest things is, ( i dont think this is a spoiler) during a fight, someone accidentually touches the breasts of a woman... He is shocked to find out, that "he" is actually a woman... Yet it is so clear, that you - as viewer - are amazed that these guys took this woman for a man... It's quite funny. If you like serious martial arts movies,dont look at this one. If you like a nonsense movie, check this one out... it's fun
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