Kung Fu Killer, aka Kung Fu Jungle (2014)

Prison Fight: 3.5/5


Tam King-Yiu vs Fung Yu-Sau: 2.5/5


Wong Chit vs Fung Yu-Sau: 3/5


Hung Yip vs Fung Yu-Sau: 3.5/5


Skirmish at the docks: 2.75/5


Sinn Ying vs Fung Yu-Sau: 3/5


Hahou Mo vs Fung Yu-Sau: 4/5




This movie is a mixed bag. As a movie it's mediocre. But the fights are pretty good. Wang Baoqiang, who plays the villain, is excellent in this. Which is a good thing since he does 90% of the fighting in this movie. I do wish they gave a more compelling backstory for him. He has a bit of clubfoot going on, which makes his impressive fighting skills even more impressive.

As a modern martial arts film, it's fairly paint by numbers as far as storytelling goes. The thing that stands out is the choreography and editing during the fight sequences. It's eye grabbing stuff. At times the moves performed feel a little too magical and out of place for a modern film, The real bread and butter in the fights is the speed and fluidity of the longer exchanges.

Also, I'm still waiting for a movie where Xin Yu kicks ass and isn't immediately killed, but that's a side point.

If you're a Donnie Yen fan, you'll dig this movie. As a martial arts film, I can only give it a Mild Recommendation.

Five Shaolin Masters (1974)

Opening Chase/Fights: 2.5/5



Tea House Fight: 2.75/5



Cai/Rebels vs Bao/Manchus: 3/5



Li/Rebels vs Zhang/Manchus: 3/5



Jiang/Fang vs Shan/Manchus: 3/5



Ma Chao-Hsing vs 2 Manchus: 2.75/5



Ma Chao Sing/Rebel vs Ma Fu Yi: 2.5/5



Prison Break: 3.25/5



Ma/Li Sparring: 2.25/5



End Fight: 4/5



I really dug this movie. It shows its age in parts, but there is some screen fighting in this that holds up to this day. Also, I was very invested in the stakes of the film. It follows a very simple structure, but executes it well. We see a lot of younger guys here that would go on to become stars in the 80's, like Leung Kar Yan (Beardy), Fung Hak On, and even a cameo by Gordon Liu. Of the 5 leads, Sheng Fu steals the show as Ma Chao Sing, he's got a Jackie Chan-like charisma to him. Admittedly I'm not as well versed in knowledge of martial arts actors in the 70's, besides Bruce Lee, so although these men were all top stars in this period they were new to me.

Anyway, there were no blow away fights but the final fight is great and satisfying when watched in context of the film. If you watched it as a standalone clip on youtube it wouldn't hold the same weight. There have been faster and more fluid fight scenes since then, but the finale carries emotional weight and displays various martial arts styles as a 5 part set piece that later films would adopt and follow.

Recommended.