FISTS OF THE DOUBLE K is a somewhat early kung fu outing designed to ride the wave of kung fu films that came out following the popularity of FIVE FINGERS OF DEATH and ENTER THE DRAGON. I notice that these early films tend to be rather low budget and lacking the genre tropes that would become well-established by the middle of the decade. Thus FISTS OF THE DOUBLE K is a film that feels surprisingly westernised, almost like a cowboy movie, with an upstanding hero riding into a town ruled by a corrupt gang who run the place with an iron fist. The film's score occasionally rips off THE GODFATHER and other films.
Plentiful action ensues, but given that this is a very low budget production, none of it is particularly extraordinary or exciting. I found that the drama was only really heightened right at the very end with an involved and extensive battle in a quarry which doesn't disappoint. Yung Henry Yu, while an erstwhile and determined young hero, doesn't get any kind of characterisation at all and might as well be a cardboard cut out. This film is deservedly obscure for a reason. Modern releases advertise the fact that John Woo directed; it's better to say that he worked on this as assistant director and that there's no evidence of his later style here. Jackie Chan and Yuen Wah also worked on this as stuntmen and extras but you'll be hard pressed to spot them.
Plentiful action ensues, but given that this is a very low budget production, none of it is particularly extraordinary or exciting. I found that the drama was only really heightened right at the very end with an involved and extensive battle in a quarry which doesn't disappoint. Yung Henry Yu, while an erstwhile and determined young hero, doesn't get any kind of characterisation at all and might as well be a cardboard cut out. This film is deservedly obscure for a reason. Modern releases advertise the fact that John Woo directed; it's better to say that he worked on this as assistant director and that there's no evidence of his later style here. Jackie Chan and Yuen Wah also worked on this as stuntmen and extras but you'll be hard pressed to spot them.