Updated January 15, 2006: 9 reviews added or updated

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As seen in Inside Kung-Fu, Snap! Online and the
New York Daily News




An Introduction
by Passenger 58

Welcome.

After several years now, our site remains the unique stop for martial arts film buffs who take things a tad more seriously.

Our mission remains the same: review Hong Kong/Taiwan/mainland China-produced kung fu and action films from all eras, and attempt to analyze them for the quality and quantity of martial arts content.

Where possible, I identify the styles used, and try to distinguish between flashy fight stuntwork, and "the real stuff". This is extremely tough. In all but the rarest cases, movie fighting is a mishmash of choreography designed strictly to entertain. Remember, we are not watching instructional videos here.

Many of you might be wondering, who is this opinionated guy, and what are his qualifications? I grew up watching and studying kung fu films, and have seen literally hundreds of them. I performed in a little one when I was much, much younger (so, regardless of any of my criticisms here, I have immense respect for anyone who's performed in front of or behind camera). The movies, and my training in martial arts, have been lifelong passions for over 25 years.

Have insights or different opinions? See errors? Feel free to drop us a line, we welcome your feedback.

Note: This site has not been updated on regular basis, and will not be. Some of the opinions no longer reflect the views of the editor (although the majority still do).

This web site is dedicated to my father, who introduced me to martial arts films as a child, and shared all my subsequent martial arts cinema adventures with me.


Ratings

In addition to commentary, we provide a rating service:

0- No martial arts in the film
1- Obviously poor martial arts; at times unintentionally funny.
2- Sloppy or below-average martial arts
3- Average skill; watchable
4- Above-average martial arts; solid performance
5- High martial arts skill; worth watching in slo-mo


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 The Reviews: #'s A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

#'s

ANY FILM STARRING BRUCE LI (HO CHUNG TAO)

ANY SHAW BROTHERS FILM FROM THE 1970s

ANY FILM STARRING WANG YU, LO LIEH

10 BROTHERS OF SHAOLIN

13 STYLES STRIKE

18 BRONZEMEN

18 BRONZEMEN 2

18 SHAOLIN GOLDEN BOY

3-D ARMY

36TH CHAMBER OF SHAOLIN

36TH CRAZY FIST

7 GRANDMASTERS

A

ABOVE THE LAW (ALSO KNOWN AS "RIGHTING WRONGS")

ACCIDENTAL HERO

ACTION TAE KWON DO

ADVENTURE AT SHAOLIN

ADVENTURE FOR IMPERIAL TREASURE

ANGEL

ANGEL II

ANGELS ENFORCERS

ANGEL TERMINATORS 4

ANGRY YOUNG MAN

ASIAN COP/HIGH VOLTAGE

THE ASSASSIN

THE ASSOCIATION

THE AVENGING BOXER (FEARLESS YOUNG BOXER)

AVENGING QUARTET

B

BALLISTIC KISS

BAREFOOTED KID

BAYONET THE DRUGS

BEAUTY INVESTIGATORS

BIG BOSS

BLACK CITY

BLACK MASK

BLACKSHEEP AFFAIR

BLACKWIND INN

BLADE

BLADE OF FURY

NEW BLAZING TEMPLE

BLIND FIST OF BRUCE

BLOOD LEGEND OF XIN QI JI

BLOOD STAINED SWORD

BODYGUARD FROM BEIJING

BODY WEAPON

BORN INVINCIBLE

BORN TO DEFENSE

BROKEN OATH

BRUCE AND THE IRON FINGER

BRUCE KING OF KUNG FU

BRUCE LEE'S SECRET

BUDDIST FIST

BURNING PARADISE

C

CALL ME DRAGON

CARRY ON PICKPOCKET

CAT VS. RAT

THE CAVALIER

CENTURY DRAGON (BRUCE LEE DOCUMENTARY)

CHALLENGE OF THE MASTERS (WONG FEI HUNG AND LUK AH CHOY)

CHEEKY CHAP

CHEETAH ON FIRE

CHINESE CONNECTION

CIRCUS KIDS

CITY OF DRAGON

COME DRINK WITH ME

COMET BUTTERFLY AND SWORD

CONSUMATE POWER

COUNTERATTACK

CRAZY SHAOLIN DISCIPLES

CRIME STORY

CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON

CRUSH (CHINESE TAE KWON DO)

CRYSTAL HUNT

D

DADDY, FATHER, PAPA

DANCE OF THE DRUNK MANTIS

DEADEND OF BESIEGERS

DEADLY STRIKE

DEATH DUEL OF KUNG FU

THE DEATH GAMES

DEATH MASK OF THE NINJA (aka PRINCE OF SHAOLIN)

DESCENDANT OF WING CHUN (MR. LEUNG OF FUTSHAN)

DUEL IN THE DESERT (AKA PROUD HORSE IN FLYING SAND)

DIRTY HO

DON'T GIVE A DAMN

DRAGON FIGHT

DRAGON FROM RUSSIA

DRAGON GATE INN

DRAGON LORD

DRAGON: THE BRUCE LEE STORY

DRAGONS FOREVER

DRAGONS OF THE ORIENT

DREADNAUGHT

DRUNKEN MASTER

DRUNKEN MASTER 2

DRUNKEN MASTER 3

NEW DRUNKEN MONKEY

DRUNKEN TAI CHI

DUEL IN THE TIGER DEN

DUEL OF THE SEVEN TIGERS (SHADOW OF THE TIGER)

DUEL OF THE ULTIMATE WEAPONS

DUEL WITH THE DEVILS

 

E

EASTERN CONDORS

EIGHT DIAGRAM CUDGEL

EIGHT DIAGRAM POLE FIGHTER

EMPEROR OF KUNG FU

ENCOUNTERS OF THE SPOOKY KIND 2

ENTER THE DRAGON

ENTER THE FAT DRAGON

EXECUTIONERS

EXIT THE DRAGON, ENTER THE TIGER

F

FANTASY MISSION FORCE

FATAL NEEDLES, FATAL FISTS

FATE OF LEE KHAN

FEARLESS DRAGONS

FEARLESS DUO

FEARLESS KUNG FU ELEMENTS

FEARLESS HYENA

FEUD WITHIN THE TRUTH

FIGHTING ACE

FILTHY GUY (RETURN OF THE SECRET RIVALS)

FIST FROM SHAOLIN

FISTFUL OF TALONS

FIST OF FURY-TV SERIES

FIST OF LEGEND

FISTS OF THE WHITE LOTUS

FIST POWER

FIVE FIGHTERS FROM SHAOLIN

FONG SAI YUK 1, 2

FORBIDDEN IMPERIAL TALES

G

GAMBLING GHOST

GAME OF DEATH

GAME OF DEATH (BRUCE LEE: A WARRIOR'S JOURNEY)

GOLDEN DART HERO

GORGEOUS

GREAT CONQUEROR'S CONCUBINE

GREAT SHANGHAI

GREEN HORNET

H

HALF A LOAF OF KUNG-FU

HAPKIDO

HEART OF A DRAGON

HELL'S WIND STAFF

HERO

HERO AMONG HEROES

THE HEROES (UNFORGIVEN OF SHAOLIN)

HEROES OF SHAOLIN

HEROIC ONES

HEROIC TRIO

HERO OF SWALLOW

HIDDEN HERO

THE HIMALAYAN

HITMAN

HIT MAN IN THE HAND OF BUDDHA

HOCUS POCUS

HOLY ROBE OF SHAOLIN 

HOLY VIRGIN VS EVIL DEAD

THE HUNTED HUNTER

I

ICEMAN COMETH

INCREDIBLE FEATS OF CHINESE KUNG FU

IN EAGLE'S SHADOW FIST

INHERITOR OF KUNG FU

INNOCENT INTERLOPER

INSPECTOR WEARS SKIRTS 4

INSTANT KUNG FU MAN

IN THE BEGINNING

IN THE LINE OF DUTY 4

INVINCIBLE IRON ARMOR

INVINCIBLE KUNG FU LEGS/LEG

FIGHTERS

INVINCIBLE SHAOLIN

INCREDIBLE KUNG FU MASTER

IRON-FISTED MONK

IRON MAN (aka LEGEND OF FONG SAI YUK)

IRON MONKEY

IRON MONKEY 2

ISLAND OF FIRE

I WILL FINALLY KNOCK YOU DOWN, DAD

J K

KICKBOXER/GHOST FOOT 7

KID FROM TIBET

KIDNAP IN ROME

KILLER ANGELS

KILLER IN WHITE

KILLER METEORS

KING BOXER (FIVE FINGERS OF DEATH)

THE KING BOXER

KING OF THE SEA

KISS OF THE DRAGON

THE KNIFE OF DEVIL'S ROARING AND SOULS MISSING

KNOCKABOUT

KUNG FU CULT MASTER

KUNG-FU GENIUS

KUNG FU HUSTLE

KUNG FU INSTRUCTOR

KUNG FU MISTRESS

KUNG FU MONK

KUNG-FU SCHOLAR

L

LACKEY AND LADY TIGER

LADY IS THE BOSS

LADY REPORTER (BLONDE FURY)

LADY WHIRLWIND

LAST HERO OF CHINA

LAST HURRAH FOR CHIVALRY

LEGENDARY STRIKE

LEGENDARY WEAPONS OF KUNG-FU

LEGEND OF A FIGHTER 

LEGEND OF THE DRUNKEN TIGER

LEGEND OF THE WOLF

LEG FIGHTERS

LEOPARD HUNTING

LETHAL WEAPON 4

LOVER'S TEAR

LICENSE TO STEAL

LIFE UNDER FOREIGN INVASION

LITTLE HERO ON THE RUN

M

MAD MONKEY KUNG FU

THE MAGIC BEGGAR

MAGNIFICENT BUTCHER

MAHJONG DRAGON

A MAN CALLED HERO

MARTIAL ARTS MASTER WONG FEI HUNG

THE MASTER

MASTER OF ZEN

MASTER STRIKES

MEALS ON WHEELS

MILLENIUM DRAGON

MILLIONAIRES EXPRESS

MING PATRIOTS

MIRACLE FIGHTER

MIRACLE NEEDLE

MISSION KISS AND TELL

MONKS GO CRAZY

MOONLIGHT SWORD AND JADE LION

MR. CANTON AND LADY ROSE

MR. NICE GUY

MURDER OF MURDERS

MY FATHER IS A HERO

MY LUCKY STARS

MY YOUNG AUNTIE

N

NAUGHTY BOYS

NEW FISTS OF FURY

NEW KIDS IN TOWN

NEW LEGEND OF SHAOLIN

NEW NEW TALES OF THE FLYING FOX

NINJA IN THE DEADLY TRAP

NINJA IN THE DRAGON'S DEN

NINJA AND THE FINAL DUEL

NINJA OVER THE GREAT WALL

NO ONE CAN TOUCH HER

NORTHERN FISTS, SOUTHERN KICKS

NORTH SHAOLIN VS. SOUTH SHAOLIN

O

ODD COUPLE

ON THE VERGE OF DEATH

UPDATED ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA 1

ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA 2

ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA 3

UPDATED ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA 4

UPDATED ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA 5

ONCE A TIME IN CHINA AND AMERICA

UPDATED ONCE UPON A TIME-THE TV SERIES

NEW THE ONE

ONE ARMED HERO

ONE FOOT CRANE

ONG BAK

OPERATION SCORPIO

OPIUM AND THE KUNG FU MASTER

OUT OF DANGER

P Q

PAINTED SKIN

THE PALE SKY

PANTYHOSE HERO

PAPER MARRIAGE

PEDICAB DRIVER

PILLARS OF SHAOLIN

POSSESSION OF GHOST

POSTMAN STRIKES BACK

PRINCESS FRAGRANCE

PRISONER OF FIVE BOULDERS

PRODIGAL SON

PROJECT A

PROJECT A2

PROJECT S

PROTECTOR

PROUD HORSE IN FLYING SAND (AKA DUEL IN THE DESERT)

R

RAIDERS OF WU TANG

RAIDERS OF THE YUNKANG CAVES

REAL KUNG FU OF SHAOLIN

REBELLIOUS REIGN

RED FLOWER SOCIETY

RED TASSELED SWORD

RETURN OF THE DRAGON

REVENGER

THE REVENGE OF ANGEL

REVENGE OF JAPANESE KANTO

REVENGENCE SUPER LADY

RIGHTING WRONGS
(ALSO KNOWN AS
"ABOVE THE LAW")

RING OF DEATH

ROMANCE OF THE BOOK AND SWORD

ROMEO MUST DIE

ROSA

ROYAL WARRIORS (IN THE LINE OF DUTY 1)

S

SAM THE IRON BRIDGE

SATYR MONK

SECRET NINJA AND ROARING TIGER

SECRET RIVALS

SECRET RIVALS 2

SERIOUS SHOCK: YES MADAM

SETTING SUN

SEVEN BLOWS OF THE DRAGON (WATER MARGIN)

SEVEN SWORDS

NEW SHA PO LANG

SHADOW IN THE DARK

SHANGHAI AFFAIR

SHANGHAI SHANGHAI (AKA RAIDERS)

SHAOLIN ASSASSIN

SHAOLIN AVENGER

SHAOLIN BROTHERS

SHAOLIN AND WU TANG

SHAOLIN EXECUTIONERS

SHAOLIN CHALLENGES NINJA

SHAOLIN EX-MONK

SHAOLIN INVINCIBLES

SHAOLIN INVISIBLE STICKS

SHAOLIN KUNG-FU KID

SHAOLIN MARTIAL ARTS

SHAOLIN PLOT

SHAOLIN TEMPLE 1 AND 3 (MARTIAL ARTS OF SHAOLIN)

SHAOLIN TEMPLE 2

SHAOLIN TRAITOROUS

SHAOLIN VS LAMA

SHAOLIN WARRIOR

SHAOLIN WOODEN MEN

SHE SHOOTS STRAIGHT

SKINNY TIGER, FATTY DRAGON

SLAUGHTER IN XIAN

SLICKERS VS. KILLERS

SNAKE DEADLY ACT

SNAKE IN THE EAGLES SHADOW

SNUFF BOTTLE CONNECTION

SOUTH SHAOLIN MASTER

SOUTH SHAOLIN MASTER 2

SPY IN THE PALACE

STAGE DOOR JOHNNY

STAND BEHIND YELLOW LINE

A STEP TO HEAVEN

STORY OF FONG SAI YUK

STORY OF RICKY

STORY OF TEMPLE RED LILY

STRANGER FROM SHAOLIN

STREETFIGHTER SERIES

STRONG EASTMAN

STRUGGLE THROUGH DEATH

SUN DRAGON

SUPERCOP

THE SUPER REVERENT MONK

SWORD OF MANY LOVES

SWORDSMAN II

SWORD STAINED WITH ROYAL BLOOD

T

TAI CHI 2

TAI CHI CHUAN

TAI CHI MASTER

TATOO CONNECTION

TEN BROTHERS OF SHAOLIN

TIGER CAGE

TIGER CAGE 1

TIGER CAGE 2

TO CATCH A NINJA

TOUCH AND GO

TOUGH GUY

TREASURE HUNTERS (AKA MASTER OF DISASTER)

TWIN DRAGONS

TWINKLE TWINKLE LUCKY STARS

TWO CHAMPIONS OF SHAOLIN

TWO GREAT CAVALIERS

U V W

UNDAUNTED WU DANG

VENGENCE

THE VENGENCE

VENGEANCE OF SNOW MAID

VENGENCE WITH BLOOD

THE VICTIM

WARRIORS

WARRIORS TWO

WARRIORS TRAGEDY 1&2

WHEN TAE KWON DO STRIKES

WHERE'S OFFICER TUBA

WHITE LOTUS CULT

WING CHUN

WINNERS AND SINNERS

WONDER SEVEN

WU TANG DEATH SQUAD

X Y Z

YELLOW FACED TIGER

YELLOW RIVER FIGHTER

YES MADAM 5

YEUNG YUET LAU STORY

YOUNG MASTER

ZEN MASTER 6

 

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