Competing bands of pirates have throttled the South China sea, leaving much of the land population -- even government magistrates -- to starve or have to steal for food. Wong Fey-Hong (Zhao Wen Zhou) and his kung fu students hijack one pirate vessel, raid a hidden warehouse, and achieve inevitable victory; in the meantime, Rosamund Kwan competes with another sweet young thing for the master's affections. Wong has a great fight with a 100-year old pirate while balancing on vases, and his bucktoothed student is John Woo-atorally balletic with guns and bullets. Entertaining, but a tad overstuffed.

(3/4)



[Reviewed by Steve Spinali]