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黃飛鴻之男兒當報國 (1993)
Fist from Shaolin


Reviewed by: Gaijin84
Date: 02/10/2009
Summary: Not bad for a copy...

Meant to cash in on the success of the Once Upon a Time in China series, Fist from Shaolin has Wong Kwan adopting the role of Wong Fei-hung for this tale of the mainland legend. Much like OUATIC 1, this movie see's Wong's family friend (Sharon Kwok) returning from overseas after a stint in the West. Wong and his students Kuan (Tam Chiu) and Bucktooth So (Gabriel Wong) run into an issue with a local General (Ji Chun-Hua) and his western investor after Wong finds them exploiting local peasants. Knowing that Wong could pose an issue to their expansion, Master Eleven (Ji) intentionally goads the western kickboxer into a challenge with Wong by deliberately mis-translating their conversation. Smitten with a homeless street performer, Bucktooth So also manages to stumble across a related plot to kidnap local girls and sell them into a prostitution ring. All of these plots revolve around the General, the area's Prefect and the westerner. Once they figure out the scope of the plan, Wong, Kuan and So must take on the corrupt officials and generals to stop the conspiracy before it goes any farther.

Even though it is clearly a derivative of the superior Jet Li and Tsui Hark product, Fist from Shaolin is an excellent martial arts film with exciting choreography and a strong (albeit oft tread) plot. Wong Kwan is quite good in the lead role, with above average martial arts skills and good acting. He deals out a fair amount of deserved pain, at one point even castrating a thug with a pair of shears. For the most part though he is controlled in his anger and fighting, preferring instead to end conflicts with words and soft, trapping kung fu. The real revelation here though is Tam Chiu. He has obviously trained for most his life and his kung fu is incredibly fast and fluid. All his fights are exciting with elaborate kicks and acrobatics to boot. Its rather surprising that his filmography consists of less than 10 films. The actor that plays Prefect Wu is also excellent, as is the westerner who unleashes a barrage of impressive kicks. The ever-present whimpering sidekick is played as well as could be expected by Gabriel Wong. Although Fist from Shaolin is blatant in its attempt to lump itself in with Jet Li (the entire first footage is from Li's Shaolin Temple), it is able to eventually set itself apart with excellent action and a good storyline.

7/10

Reviewer Score: 7

Reviewed by: Jackal
Date: 05/09/2007
Summary: It is clone of OATIC

It is clone of "Once upon a time in China" does not form no competitions original film. The Plot does not play importances, labored and agreed-upon. Single value of the film - a combat scene. Fighting are great. They entertainment, fascinating and high tehnologic. Particularly, it is necessary to note final fighting, in which actors have shown all best, on that capable. Look the film stand only from- for combat scenes.

Reviewer Score: 6

Reviewed by: weirdcat
Date: 04/27/2006
Summary: A Minor Gem

Well this one slipped under my radar.
It was recommended to me buy a friend and at such a cheap price for the dvd, what a bargain.

It does use footage from JL's Shaolin Temple but that can be forgiven for the excellent fighting on display.
I liked the minimal use of wirework as I was expecting it to be more in line with Iron Monkey and Tai Chi MAster (considering the year it came out)and was pleasantly surprised by the action.
Ok it was made on a cheap budget and in the Lion dance scene you can occasionally see the wires but who cares?
The cast were excellent and its a pity there isn't a subbed version available cos it comes with the usual hilarious dubbing track.
The fighting on display is just amazing and it was nice to see minimal use of doubling and undercranking. They just let the performers get on with it.
The kid with the monkey pole was great!!

Ok it is no OUATIC but is well worth adding to your collection.

Reviewer Score: 8

Reviewed by: runo_jp
Date: 06/14/2001
Summary: fist from shaolin

A minor movie involving the character of Wong Fei Wong. Footage with Jet Li is used at the very beginning (certainly for transition with OUATOC!), and the result is kind of a OUATOC movie with sleeping pills.


Reviewed by: jfierro
Date: 12/21/1999

A poorman's Wong Fei-Hong. Here, Wong Fei Hong moves his clinicto Canton and encounters predictable conflicts from the local tyrants. Could have been alright if they had shown more fighting and tried less to rip-off the original ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA. Also, the Wong Fei-Hong in this movie is too much of a wuss.


Reviewed by: hkcinema
Date: 12/08/1999

Not only does this film have a similar plot to other films (opium smuggling foreigners ruining China, etc.), it uses actual footage of some Jet Li movies (he has nothing to do with this film). Despite this I liked the movie a lot. The acting is excellent (especially from the woman who plays Shao Lan), the action sequences are smart and fun, and this version of Wong Fei Hung is different from most movies. He's not portrayed as a mischevious kid, but rather a mature martial arts master. He teaches virtue and principle above all else, but will fight for the right reasons (by the way, is it just me or does the actor that portrays Wong in this movie look a lot like Don "The Dragon" Wilson). Even though the plot is pretty standard, the people's interactions within the plot are really good. I would have given a much higher score but for the lifting of footage from other films and semi-unoriginal plot.

(8.5/10)



[Reviewed by Dale Whitehouse]


Reviewed by: spinali
Date: 12/08/1999
Summary: NULL

The opening is played over a montage of scenes from Jet Li movies, but that's just a tease. It quickly shifts to a different Wong Fei-Hong (a legendary 19th century patriot and doctor) and his friends Kuan and Ah So as they save a pair of street performers from prostitution and slavery, respectively. Obviously (but maybe not so obviously if you're not up on your Chinese history), this pits him against Qin powers who are starting to import opium and industrialize with British support. The movie's almost a photocopy of Once Upon a Time in China 3, but has a great lion dance fight on a balancing ladder, another with a pig carcass, and yet another in an opium warehouse. With solid flicks like this, you don't mind its being derivative to the point of it being a potential legal problem. Cute Ten Yun Yee adds eye-appeal as Wong's Westernized 13th aunt.

(3/4)



[Reviewed by Steve Spinali]

Reviewer Score: 7