The opening credits aren't promising -- Jackie Chan doing kung-fu exercises against a newly painted wooden backdrop for five minutes, followed by a chop-sockey duel with those patented cheapo camera zooms. Yet, the movie wins you over, scene by scene. Chien-fu (Jackie) is an orphan whose job consists of scrubbing the floors for a martial arts school, and standing in as the occasional practice dummy. After he befriends a kindly old martial arts master, he gets a chance to save the man's life (the old guy's stabbed by a Russian kung-fu Catholic priest!). This begins Chien-fu's martial arts training in the Shake Fist, which can only be beaten by the Eagle's Claw, which is exactly why villains are out to challenge and vanquish the old man and extinguish his style (okay, maybe these characters kill for some ridiculous reasons). Each of the fights is lovingly choreographed, and dramatic, and frequently witty -- it's a look at how good this genre can be when done well. After seeing his cat attack and kill a (real!) King Cobra (animal rights activists, divert your eyes), Chien-fu devises a new technique for which there is no defense, and it turns out to be the only way to save his master. Campy? You bet, and it's also fight-intensive, jam-packed with all the old elements (including glaring color) --but what great fun! The only thing missing is martial arts babes.

(3.5/4)



[Reviewed by Steve Spinali]