Talk about a surprise! After seeing 36TH CHAMBER OF SHAOLIN aka THE MASTER KILLER, I immediately sought out its sequel...and it thoroughly sent my expectations into a pleasant tailspin! Gordon Liu doesn't reprise his part as San Te...in fact, Ging Chue takes that role and runs with it!...but instead Liu plays the part of Chen Chi, who turns out to be a low-rent hawker and actor by trade!

The action opens when those damn Manchus take over a cloth dyeing shop, cutting the wages of the workers as a result...and as if that wasn't bad enough, the workers can't quit in protest because if they do, Manchu strongarms will beat the crap out of them! That's when they get the inspiration to ask Chen Chi -- who's already gussied up like a monk, bald dome and all! -- to masquerade as San Te and intimidate the intimidating Manchus! It works at first (thanks to some exuberant group choreography and wires!) but their leader, a martial arts master, sees through Chen Chi and sends him packing. The workers are worse off than before and Chen Chi's humiliated...but he decides to go to San Te's 36th Chamber to learn the martial arts and make a comeback! What happens next you have to see for yourself...but trust me, you'll never look at twine the same way again!

This film has a much lighter, more comedic tone than its predecessor...you can still take the situations and the characters seriously, but it's clear that a lot of fun was had with this return to the themes of the original. Things are a lot more elaborate this time, too. The 36th Chamber itself is recreated as an open courtyard wherein the 35 disciplines are learned in a spectacular array. And instead of a climax of vengeful mortal combat as we saw in the original, in this film's rollicking finale the Manchus fight Chen Chi with poles and...uh...benches! (But you won't believe Chen Chi's counterattack!)

Highly recommended!