Rating: 3.5/5
Cult Movie Challenge 2018 | 4/52 | Shaw Brothers
The Tian Nan Tigers arrive at the Dao Tian Estate. They fight through Dao Tian’s men and find Du’s wife and son, Dao Chang. To punish Du for his arrogance, the Tian Nan Tigers cut off Du’s wife’s legs and Chang’s arms. Du arrives in time to see the horrific act. He kills the Tian Nan fighters with the Tiger Strike. Though his wife is dead, Du has iron hands forged for Chang, training him in the Tiger style.
As an adult, Chang has iron hands that shoot poison darts. They also extend Inspector Gadget-style. Du has captured the sons of the Tian Nan Tigers. He will release them if they can defeat Chang in a fight. He instructs Chang not to kill them, but to cripple them as their father crippled him. Chang wins with no effort, and they go to the local inn to celebrate.
At the inn, Wan beats up two men for laughing at Change. Chen Shuen, a traveling salesman, and the local blacksmith, Wei Jia-Jie, witness this. Wei calls out Du’s tyrannical behavior. Chang blinds Chen by gouging out his eyes. They then force Wei to drink a liquid that renders Wei mute. Wei still fights, so Du renders him deaf as well. A man named Hu Ah-kue bumps into Chang. In retaliation, Du’s men cut off his legs. A swordsman named Wang Yi, a stranger to those parts, witnesses vandals harassing Hu and Chen. When he sees their state, he goes to avenge them. Though formidable, Du’s clan captures and tortures Wang until he is mentally disabled.
Chin, Wei, Hu, and Wang travel to Wang’s master in hopes that he can train them to avenge Du. Will these fighters overcome their disabilities and restore peace?
Despite the brutal way in which dudes maim each other, the movie is quite hammy. Part of this is due to the childish way with which the film handles physical and mental disability. Though offensive, it presents an unusual format for the genre. The worst offense is when it compares evil and disability. The film states that evil is an incurable mental disability.
The film employs a fisheye lens for one of its establishing shots. The result creates an unusual distortion. Some of the lenses also have a blur around their edges, giving some shots a diffuse, almost dreamy quality. Also, those signature fast pull-outs are always satisfying.
I wish I enjoyed the fights more! They’re great spectacles, but they’re such nonsense that I find it hard to connect to. Like many of these movies, the training sequences are the best part. This one features some entertaining acrobatics.
I’m still new to Shaw Brothers movies, so I’m not sure how this one compares to others. I found it enjoyable despite its problematic subject matter.
** Stray Thoughts **
- I love how easy it is for them to forge operational iron legs and arms.
- Lo Mang is so ripped, holy shit — he’s the only one who has his shirt off throughout most of the movie.
- The leaf scene is sick.
- The ring dance might be my favorite sequence I’ve seen in a Shaw Brothers movie.
- Why do those guys fight with cymbals? Oh, I guess to distract the blind guy.
- Iron foot to the heart — fucking brutal. Oh hell yeah, they brought back the rings.