THE MAGIC PALM is a deeply obscure Taiwanese wuxia movie set in an ancient landscape full of fearless fighters, warring clans, and ninja-style warriors hiding out in the woods. It's clearly indebted to the kind of movies that the Shaw Brothers studio were putting out during this era, and indeed Shaw also distributed this one, but it's noticeably lower budgeted and lacks both the sets and actors that make Shaw unique. The story involves members of the Dragon clan practising in their monastery before a killer takes them out and steals their training book; it's then a scramble for possession. Fitfully engaging, but only for fans of the genre.
