The worlds of the Shaw Brothers martial arts films are as instantly recognizable to any movie fan the world over as Ford's monument valley, Kurosawa's samurais, or King Kong climbing the Empire State Building. It is with this in mind that I am somewhat embarrassed to admit I have seen very little of the Shaw Brothers oeuvre. In fact, this is only the second one I have watched after Come Drink with Me. But if ever motivation was necessary, here it is. Much has already been written about this film, and I hardly have anything to say that has not already been said. If there is anything particularly striking about this movie, it is how despite being so thoroughly saturated in our pop culture consciousness, it remains so fresh and exciting. The action gets the blood pumping, the characters are well-drawn and developed, there is humor, tragedy, genuine pathos. Run Run Shaw, who died recently at the young age of 107, said he particularly liked movies that make money, but it is also clear, he liked movies that were good, because this is one good movie.
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