This film watches like a tribute to the mighty Shaw studios. The themes are very Chang Cheh and the action is choreographed by Liu Chia Liang himself. Clever use of the shoe metaphor to follow the line that greater interest in material things and power leads to reduced interest in human values and honour. Aaron Kwok give a sensational performance full of expression ...although, from what i've then seen and heard, he has yet to repeat this standard of performance again ... and Maggie Cheung and Ng Sin Lin are good too. Never any need to heap praise on Dik Lung, of course, the man is practically god. The soundtrack really blew me away, but can the Wong Fei Hung theme tune be bettered? Great combination of symbolic film making while keeping it a 'popular' story-telling film. It would be rude not to mention that the main weapon to be used by the protagonist is the 'three link whip'and that any film with this has got to be good since Gordon Liu 'invented' it in "the master killer".

[Reviewed by Andrew Best]