Fists of the White Lotus (1980) User Reviews

Watch and learn.

[lost-in-limbo · 8/10 · 31 December 2009]

Another churned out Hong Kong production by the Shaw brothers in what can be seen as a Kung Fu cult classic starring the likes of Gordon Liu and Leih Lo as the priest white lotus in colourful performances. The story follows that Shaolin students being released from prison, to only be hunted down by members of the white lotus clan. Survivor Hong Wen-Ting seeks revenge against the priest white lotus for killing his best friend and his fiancé

For me there's something nostalgic about the sub-genre, which always brings a smile. Fun, brash and exciting all rolled into one. "Clan of the White Lotus" spends a lot of time either on the masterfully shot and heart racing choreographed martial arts involving the many attempts to take the priest white lotus' life and that of Hong Wen-Ting constantly training to change and strengthen his fighting style to do so. While frequently violent and bloody, it stays rather comical. These tend to be around the training and the constantly amusing charades involving the White Lotus and Hong Wen-Ting. Lieh Lo also directs; crafting out eccentric set-pieces with precision and impressionable images clocking in with creative slow-motion and detailed backdrops. The only thing is that a uniformity pattern starts to work its way in.

Good solid kung fu film

[ChungMo · 7/10 · 19 July 2005]

Lo Lieh directs himself in this serio-comic kung fu outing.The best part of the film is the way Lo Lieh and Liu Chia Hui interact and get into their larger than life roles. There's lots of mass killing and tragedy at the beginning but by the time the film ends the whole thing has become very comic. The way the evil White Lotus is defeated is one of the strangest scenes in kung fu cinema.

The pacing of the film is slower than comparable films from Liu Chia Liang, who provided the fight choreography here. While the first fight scenes are just average, the final fight scenes have his visual touch on them and it seems he may have directed them.

The whole film is very colorful in the restored Celestial Pictures DVD and I recommend finding that over the U.S. TV print that is around.

Enjoyable Film About a Character Based on Truth?

[EyeDunno · 8/10 · 5 January 2006]

I've just finished watching Fists of the White Lotus for about the 12th time. Finally, I decided to check the web for information on the actor who played Priest White Lotus (sadly, he has been dead several years, now). Yet, I find that there has been a continuing saga on the role of Pai Mei, once who tried to destroy student Hong Wen-tin, played by Gordon Liu, who ends up playing the evil priest decades later in Kill Bill II.

***SPOILERS CONTAINED*** So here's this white- haired priest, shown with these almost supernatural powers of being invincible. At some point in the film, he even seems like a magnet, repelling the force of attempted blows. The harder the protagonists punch, the more difficult it is to actually hit him. It seems just too much to fathom, if the viewer watches the film as simply a martial arts fan. But there may be some truth to the story... ***END SPOILERS***

With Pai Mei's popularity spanning decades, I found through several search engines about how much influence Pai Mei (known as the very real Taoist priest Bak Mei) has on the martial arts world. All the references to Tiger style kung fu actually originate with Bak Mei, and there are many schools now calling themselves various forms of "White Eyebrow School" for kung fu.

It turns out that the basic story of Pai Mei's vengeance being taken out on the Shaolin temple and its monks and followers in this film is followed in many forms. And when I discovered that the real Bak Mei had so trained and practiced his "White Eyebrow" style so proficiently that blows to his body made by punches or weapons barely had any affect on him, I had to return to view Fists of the White Lotus again.

So now, it seems to me that these almost incredible films on such legends are perhaps loosely based on the lives and deaths of real people who made significant contributions to the history of Chinese culture.

FOWL is a ride through the early days of interjecting some form of humor to break up the endless and tiring mass production of the basic storyline of Hong Kong kung fu films: Character kills another. someone gets angry, seeking revenge. Someone else is just as angry, revenges trade and escalate until the two dueling characters duke it out. Sometimes the humor in FOWL is a bit dull or bland, or simply not funny. But the action sequences still are terrific! It seems like director Lo Lieh (who is also the lead antagonist) filmed everything in normal speed for many of the sequences, and the mastery of Lo and Gordon Liu are incredible.

Add a splash of super slow motion with a continual flow of groovy music, and you have a decent HK action flick for the lover of the martial arts flicks from the late 70's and early 80's. Shaw Brothers classic, to say the least, and it delivers you with a solid- hitting palm technique. It's not the best one out there, but should be in the DVD library of Gordon Liu and Shaw Bros. fans.

another martial arts favourite

[gjhong · 31 December 2003]

I must have seen this Shaw Brothers movie on TV in the 1980s because it seemed very familiar as I watched the DVD. Apparently this is a sequel to Executioners from Shaolin. The movie opens with a flashback to a fight between white-haired monk Pai Mei and a two-man team featuring Gordon Liu and another fellow. The monk is extremely tough so it is necessary to double-team him with Tiger Style and Crane Style. This is the setup for the current story where Pai Mei's brother Pak Mei another white-haired monk is out for revenge. In this adventure there is no partner to use Crane style so Gordon needs special training to make up for it. It was a lot of fun watching Gordon learning woman's style kung fu to get an advantage over Pak Mei the White Lotus. Check this one out at the video store if you get the chance because Gordon Liu will be a white-haired kung fu master named Pai Mei in Kill Bill Volume 2.

Full of pure, satisfying action

[Jeremy_Urquhart · 7/10 · 18 December 2021]

Gives you what you want out of this kind of straightforward martial arts movie- a simple premise that's an excuse for lots of fights to take place, and plenty of fun action.

The closest this movie comes to slowing down is when the main character needs to train at a few points in order to get stronger so he can fight better and fight more. The action is otherwise constant, and maybe even exhausting, but it's fun and never boring as a result.

There might be a slight case of quantity over quality, as there are a few times where the choreography isn't flawless and you can tell people aren't getting hit, but oh well, it's pretty forgivable.

A good time, and recommended if you're in the mood for a pure martial arts action movie.

A Gordon Liu Classic!

[chatch-64246 · 9/10 · 19 January 2017]

Another Gordon Liu classic, Clan of the White Lotus was directed by White Lotus Chief himself, Lo Lieh, and is old school Kung Fu fun at its finest! This one features such crazy concepts as the White Lotus Chief having the ability to suck his testicles into his stomach (as a means of defense) and some insane use of "acupuncture-fu" toward the end of the film. Liu trains in some uniquely interesting 'woman's style' Kung Fu as he battles Lieh 3 times, each fight growing in intensity. And his fights with Wang Lung-wei are absolutely fierce! These two square off in several flicks, with every encounter being great (check out "Instructors of Death" aka "Martial Club" for one of their absolute best). COTWL is hands down a MUCH better version/remake of "Executioners From Shaolin."

Kung-Fu from the Shaw Brothers, Including the "Feminine" Kind!

[alisonc-1 · 7/10 · 21 July 2012]

Shaolin kung-fu practitioners and brothers Wu and Hung (Gordon Liu) attack and kill the merciless Pai Mei; they and other Shaolin disciples are jailed, but their release is ordered because "the people" want them to be free. However, Pai Mei's even more merciless brother White Lotus (Lo Lieh) has other ideas; he kills off many members of the Shaolin Temple, including Wu and Hung's girlfriend, leaving Wu's pregnant wife Mei-Hsiao (Kara Hui) and Hung as practically the only members of Shaolin left to avenge the deaths. But Hung can't defeat White Lotus with a combination of the tiger and crane kung-fu moves that he and his brother used to defeat Pai Mei; instead, it is up to Mei-Hsiao to teach him feminine kung-fu techniques, the styles of embroidery and acupuncture. Will those be enough to defeat the evil White Lotus, or must Hung pay the price that his brother and their people did? Kung-fu movies, particularly those of producers the Shaw Brothers, don't really require much in the way of close attention to the plot, as the plot primarily exists to move the characters from one fight sequence to another. And the sound effects accompanying those fights are just sublime! Gordon Liu and Lo Lieh were international stars of the form, prior to the advent of Bruce Lee even; and ironically, in Tarantino's "Kill Bill Vol. 2," Liu plays Pai Mei, the character his character in this film kills off at the beginning of the movie, setting the story in motion. FantAsia 2012 was lucky enough to locate the last surviving celluloid copy of this classic film, complete with garbled English subtitles and faded-to-red colour scheme (the result of the passage of years, not an intentional part of the film), and as long as you check your logical brain in at the door, it's a hoot to watch, 30-odd years on!

Kung Fu fun for everyone!

[InzyWimzy · 10/10 · 12 June 2002]

Wow, Gordon Liu, Lung Wei Wang, directed by Lieh Lo. What more can you ask for?

It was fun seeing Liu in a non Shaolin monk role. You gotta love his determination as he tries to win the fight again and again. Plus, White Lotus is a GREAT villain...sinister laughs, impressive fighting, boasting during battle, and that neat weightless effect!! This guy is so good, he pushes his own bodyguards aside so that he can fight his opponent head on!!

Plus, Kara Hui's training with Gordon to teach him a "new" style is priceless!! Do see this one!!

Not much we haven't seen before

[Groverdox · 6/10 · 10 October 2015]

This is the one where Gordon Liu gets acupuncture, and later tries it as a form of attack against Lo Lieh (Five Fingers of Death) as the white eye- brow'd bad guy. Are there any guys with long white hair and white eyebrows in Shaw brothers movies who aren't evil?

I thought this one was pretty overrated, unfortunately. It frequently tops lists of best kung fu movies ever made - I thought its sort-of-prequel, Executioners From Shaolin, was better. Aside from the aforementioned acupuncture, this one doesn't have much I haven't seen before. One plus, though, is more of an emphasis on the female martial artist, whose skills are very impressive.

Form follows function...

[poe426 · 10/10 · 22 August 2011]

Once again KING BOXER Lo Lieh's FIVE FINGERS OF DEATH are on display as the Evil Twin of the Evil Bai Mei (see EXECUTIONERS FROM SHAOLIN). As author Craig Reid points out in his excellent book THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO MARTIAL ARTS MOVIES OF THE 1970s, the opening of CLAN OF THE WHITE LOTUS (an "unofficial sequel" to EXECUTIONERS FROM SHAOLIN) is at odds with the ending of the "prequel." Ah-Piao (Lin Hui-hang) falls to Bai Mei II (hereafter referred to as "Priest White Lotus") and Hung Wen-Ding (Gordon Liu) after we see Ah and Hung defeat Bai Mei I. Liu escapes with Mei (Hui Ying-hong), sister of the mangy Ah-Ching. Director Lo Lieh follows the proper form(s) as Liu combines tiger and crane kung fu in preparation for another showdown with White Lotus. Hung fights his way into the White Lotus palace using his new kung fu combo, but Priest White Lotus has mastered the art of Air Displacement (as good a name for it as any, I guess): he's able to use one's Chi or Momentum or Air Pockets or something to avoid blows. Liu bolts, as would anyone with a lick of sense in such a situation. (Remember the last of the unfortunate guards to face "Bolo" in ENTER THE DRAGON? The guy, having seen his companions brutally slain one by one, opts to turn and run...) Mei gives birth, then shows Liu how to attack paper dummies without disturbing the air around them. "It's a special woman's style," she tells him- so he learns to babysit and knit... (Sew many styles, so little time...) He weaves the knitting moves into his threadbare routine. (He's now in touch with both his Yin and his Yang sides...) Yet again, he sets off to do battle with the White Lotus Clan. Will his crazy-quilt kung fu work, or will danger still loom over his every move...? Only Time (and acupuncture) will tell...

Executioner from Shaolin II

[ebiros2 · 6/10 · 21 June 2009]

The story of this movie is almost identical to that of Executioner from Shaolin, and it might be even appropriate to title this movie Executioners from Shaolin II. The similarities are as follows:

1. An evil master who has white hair and beard (both played by Lo Lieh in the same make up) attacks Shaolin Temple, and one of the monks swears to avenge the dead comrades.

2. The master has weak spot that moves around his body.

3. He can give a vice grip on an opponent with his groin area.

4. A woman teaches kung-fu style which eventually helps to defeat the enemy.

5. Hero challenges the enemy twice.

6. Eventually the evil master is defeated by accidentally getting struck in his weak spot.

So there you have it, the main plot of these two movies are identical. Both are fantastic old school kung-fu movies with actual story and not just one mindless fight scenes after another. I kind of like the original because I'm a Chen Kuan Tai fan, but either movie in my opinion is a great martial arts piece from that era.

A fun movie and has some good martial arts facts

[ggravier · 9/10 · 9 May 2020]

As a kyusho practitioner, I was quite impressed by the movie. It popped up on my radar so decided to give it a go not quite knowing what to expect. At the first fights, I saw the hand positions (one blade of grass, claw, blood pool) my curiosity was sparked even further. Then during the movie our hero learns to have a soft (woman kung fu style) of touching, which is exactly what we learn in kyusho, not to strike with strength but rather with heavy feather touch. When even that is not enough to kill the bad guy, he is wounded, cured with acupuncture, and learns the pressure points from an acupuncture manual. The bad guy even goes as far as to show him how to have a penetrating impact to affect the pressure points. His training complete, he can finally attack the bad guy and we learn again of pressure points that should leave the opponent dead after 100 steps. That's dim mak right there for you.

Oh and the story, of course, is fun. The multiple attempts to get to the bad guy, the progressive training... I had a really nice time.

White Crane style is a very very old, traditional, martial arts style described in the bubishi... The movie does it credit while remaining a very entertaining film.

Shaw Brothers on USA Up All Night

[BandSAboutMovies · 6/10 · 13 September 2023]

It kind of blows my mind when a Shaw Brothers movie finds its way to USA Up All Night. Released as Fists of the White Lotus in the U. S., this is the sequel to Executioners from Shaolin (AKA Shaolin Executioners and Executioners of Death) and Abbot of Shaolin (AKA Shaolin Abbot and Slice of Death),.

A white eyebrowed priest named Pai Mei battles brothers Hung Wei Ting (Gordon Liu) and Wu Ah Biu (King Lee King-Chu) and the fight costs him his life. However, Pai Met also had a brother, the monstrous White Lotus (Lo Lieh, who directed this movie) who shows up and murders Wu Ah Biu. Hung Wei Ting must study new techniques and learn how to fight a man who is stronger than anyone else in the world.

Perhaps the Tiger and Crane styles and more male-oriented martial arts can't function against White Lotus. Hung Wei Ting is inspired by his sister-in-law Mei Ha (Kara Hui) to study her style, which she calls Embroidery Fist.

Now, two men who have lost their brothers to one another must finally face off in combat. This fight also involves acupuncture, which is almost the most awesome part of the Lau Kar Leung choreography but then I forgot that this has more nut punches than twp episodes of America's Funniest Home Videos.

Lacks ouch

[bobcobb-84371 · 4/10 · 29 October 2016]

So yeah, I was looking forward to watching this, being a fan of old school kung fu flicks and all. But somehow this really didn't do it for me. The main problem I had with it were the action scenes: they lack ouch. You see, mostly when I watch martial arts flicks I cringe when I see people get hit, kicked or when they fall down. But in this flick it was all so... painless. These guys and girls were all dancing around beautifully, pretending to hit and kick each other but you never believe it. I know, a lot of old kung fu flicks have the same problem. But still, a lot of them don't. I mean, look at some of the stuff Jimmy Wang Yu did in the early seventies. That stuff still kicks major ass. This Clan of the White Lotus doesn't anymore. To think it was made around the same time Jackie Chan, Yuen Biao and Sammo Hung were already making a name for themselves with daring stunts and amazing fight choreography makes this seem even more dated.

The Iron Ghost

[robotman-1 · 20 August 2001]

This movie is, bar none, the most fantastic kung-fu film ever made, all centered around the main performers, particularly Gordon Liu and Kara Hui, and specifically the star-director, Lo Lieh. Lieh is probably the grandmaster of kung-fu films, and his ability to take even the most mundane sneering thug character and give it life is a credit to his acting. Lieh plays Priest White Lotus here, a white-haired super-villain whose fighting technique consists of essentially becoming as untouchable as a ghost. Priest White Lotus cannot even be touched, much less struck, and the displays of power combined with his eerie abilities make him visually stunning.

But it's more than simple physicality. Lo Lieh gives this supernatural force so much humor, vitality, and humanity, that Priest White Lotus is elevated into one of the great onscreen villains ever, in any genre of film. The scene where Priest White Lotus fights the vengeful hero Liu, who has attacked Lieh during his bath, forcing the Priest to block vicious blows while naked and pulling on his houseclothes, is simply one of the unbelievable joys of watching this movie. You'll laugh, not because the scene is played for laughs, but because the scene is GREAT, and the two actors are dead-on incredible, and you can't believe what you're seeing.

And the final conflict between Liu and Lieh cannot be described. There is a frightening majesty to Lieh's Priest, and Liu's hero the perfect culmination of the kung-fu revenge-hero, that the viewer is inawed by them. They become god-like in their techniques, and yet more human as their familiarity through repeated battles reveals just how much alike the two men have become. The two, evil and good, are seperated not by their skill or philosophy, but by the need for one to nullify the other. They have become so close that it is impossible for them both to exist.

FISTS OF THE WHITE LOTUS is a great film, and unforgettable.

One man's weakness is another man's vice.

[Pjtaylor-96-138044 · 7/10 · 15 April 2024]

'Clan Of The White Lotus (1980)' is actually a sequel to 'Executioners From Shaolin (1977)' (which I haven't seen), but it provides a nice recap at the start that means you shouldn't be lost if you decide to watch this without first watching that prior picture. After defeating Pei Mei (or Priest White Eyebrows), two warriors brothers (or maybe just brothers-in-arms) return home to their significant others as a declaration is signed to begin rebuilding the Shaolin temple that was recently destroyed by the recently departed villain. Pei Mei's brother (or maybe just brother-in-arms) Priest White Lotus, head of the White Lotus clan, doesn't take too kindly to the warriors' actions, and decides to showcase his superior Kung fu by attacking them while they eat. This battle costs the life of one of the brothers and the partner of the other, leaving Hung Wen-Ting and his pregnant sort of sister-in-law Mei-Hsaio defeated and in hiding. Naturally, more revenge is in order. It's interesting that the movie is basically about the hero getting revenge for the villain getting revenge, with the death of a brother(-in-arms) being what prompts both men to take action, but this grey morality isn't explored because the antagonist is a proper baddie who also happens to be involved with the slaughter of anyone involved with the Shaolin temple and its rebuilding. The film isn't interested in the ethics of getting even, just the process of doing so against a more advanced opponent. Still, it's an intriguing concept and goes to show the cyclical nature of vengeance in a way that isn't specifically spoken but is certainly felt. The movie is very classic in its structure, with the majority of its midsection dedicated to the training required for its protagonist to emerge triumphant, but it's actually really satisfying. It reminds me of a video-game, more so than a lot of its peers, as the lead refines a new technique and then tries it against his foe, only to suffer a defeat which necessitates the learning of a new technique and prompts the cycle to start over again. It's genuinely engaging stuff, and even the slower segments are entertaining in their own methodical way. The other somewhat distinct aspect of the piece is its approach to crafting a singular villain - kind of like a final boss - who is so overpowered it's borderline silly. With a big personality and even bigger eyebrows, Priest White Lotus (lovingly portrayed by director Lieh Lo) spends most of the runtime smugly dodging every single blow that comes his way, callously laughing in the face of his enemies and striking with fictional pressure point attacks that cause people to die after a certain number of steps (yet another thing Quentin Tarantino stole, alongside the character of Pei Mei, for his own attempt at the genre). He also, like his brother(-in-arms) before him, has the ability to trap people's hands in-between his testicles in a vice-like grip, which he uses to counter the alarming number of below-the-belt shots that come his way throughout the story. He's a scene-chewing baddie with almost mythical levels of strength, agility and power, which gives the feature a fantastical feeling even though it's relatively grounded for its majority. Although he's a bit pantomime, he totally works in this context and is an entertaining on-screen persona, arguably the perfect foil for Gordon Liu's determined yet straight-laced hero. Their bouts are as exciting as you'd expect, and it really does feel like the lead is going up against almost impossible odds despite being a really accomplished martial artist. Their clashes are also quite funny in their own way, as increasingly unconventional fighting styles become necessary and the baddie isn't impressed by any of them. It's a simple, to-the-point experience but it's well-paced, superbly choreographed (by the inimitable Lau Kar-leung, who also pops up as a double for one of the villain's sword-wielding guards a couple of times) and confidently directed. It's a really entertaining affair from start to finish, despite a couple of wobbly moments here and there, and its fight scenes are often absolutely spectacular. It's not the best in its genre, but it's definitely a lot of fun.

A Shaw sequel with tremendously fun action scenes

[Leofwine_draca · 8/10 · 8 December 2016]

CLAN OF THE WHITE LOTUS is a fine piece of Shaw Brothers martial arts spectacle and a follow-up to both EXECUTIONERS FROM SHAOLIN and the less well-known SHAOLIN ABBOT. The opening of the movie re-posits the climax of EXECUTIONERS before moving on to a different tale about a Shaolin monk (played by the inimitable Gordon Liu) and his grievance against the White Lotus priest, played with relish by a delightfully evil Lo Lieh.

Lo Lieh directed the movie too, in one of his rare forays behind the camera, and the result is a professional-looking film with strong cinematography and a slick pace. Lau Kar-Leung handles the fight choreography and ensures that the fights are tremendously exciting, as you'd expect from Shaw. I loved the simplicity of the story: it simply involves Liu suffering loss at the hands of the baddie, and then making repeated attempts on his life, training up each time he fails.

The mystical aspects of the fighting are portrayed very well, and Lieh's invincibility had me chuckling with delight. Liu is on top form as he always seemed to be while Lieh is simply having a ball. The bit where he's attacked in the bath is a real highlight, but the thing you'll remember about this one is the acupuncture-fu at the climax. Trust me when I say you'll never have seen anything like this before. Overall the film is light on plot but tremendous when it comes to the visuals and action.

Bring on the brutality!

[GOWBTW · 8/10 · 10 October 2012]

The White Lotus clan is out on a mission, to wipe out the monks. The leader is the most vicious character of the movie. Two fighters are released from prison for killing a member of that clan. But this guy, is five times worse than the last. His techniques are so perfect, he can't be touched. One fighter worked his hardest to get a perfect blow to stop him. The White Lotus used his five finger palm strike on two fighters, five walks can make their hearts explode. When he massacred the released prisoner and others, he was a walking death machine. The other fighter would confront him many times, and he would laugh off his skills. Yes, he was very headstrong, but he wasn't no quitter. His sister would teach him her techniques to better himself, along with his Tiger Crane style. The acupuncture techniques was very handy for him at the end. He could trigger everything on this fighter. Hiccups, laughter, sadness, etc. about made him the human porcupine. This movie got a ton of kung fu action. It's non-stop action makes it so much fun, it's a keeper all the way! 3 out of 5 stars.

Another Gem from Shaw Brothers

[bajbij · 9/10 · 14 May 2001]

***SPOILERS*** ***SPOILERS*** Excellent kung fu, the choreography blew me away. They use no wires or CGI to create the absolutely breathtaking martial artistry here. Gordon Liu is a man who's brother is killed by the evil White Lotus, an old man with mystical kung fu powers. Caring for his brother's pregnant wife, Liu vows to avenge him and his village for Lotus' evil carnage. After a failed attempt to beat him one on one at the Lotus' palace, Liu receives training by none other than the wife herself, who teaches him a female type of kung fu, a style accompanied by grace, smoothness and patience. It is this form that Liu uses to eventually defeat the Lotus. I love how the wife is used in this movie, being very feminine yet not just a weakling. Hollywood should take note, you can make a woman look strong in a kung fu film and make it believable, not the way Hollywood does it by making the female untouchable against a male opponent. Here, not only do women get beat by men, but, EGADS! they get killed by them, too. I guess women are humans after all. Anyway, the wife here clearly is instrumental in defeating Lotus and is more a salute to women than any American kung fu film will attempt to do. Gordon Liu shows why he is underrated, though his films have not been and have received well deserved accolades. WHITE LOTUS is a better film than MASTER KILLER (Liu's other film, the more famous one.) It is more fast paced, not as talkative, and it is also reasonably lengthed. FIST OF WHITE LOTUS is one of the best kung fu films ever made, and it is a must for your collection. 9 out of 10.

Women's kung fu and acupuncture among the skills highlighted

[BrianDanaCamp · 8 May 2001]

FISTS OF THE WHITE LOTUS (aka CLAN OF THE WHITE LOTUS, 1980) has a standard kung fu storyline of a student forced to learn different kung fu styles in order to defeat the superior skills of a villainous master who killed his brother and other family members. This simple structure, however, allows for a succession of expertly staged kung fu bouts and imaginative training scenes featuring some of the genre's top-ranked performers.

Gordon Liu (MASTER KILLER) stars as the student. Kara Hui Ying Hung (MY YOUNG AUNTIE) co-stars as his sister-in-law who teaches him women's kung fu styles, a soft response designed to counter the opponent's hard blows. (She makes Gordon learn embroidery at one point.) Their training scenes together are quite graceful and laced with humor and give the impression of an elegant dance team at work. After Gordon's use of women's kung fu fails to defeat his enemy, he turns to another teacher to learn an acupuncture-based style which targets an opponent's pulse points, a technique which finally does the trick.

Lo Lieh (FIVE FINGERS OF DEATH) plays the white-haired villain and is credited with the film's direction. The great Wang Lung Wei plays one of Lo's henchmen and fights Gordon early in the film. Lau Kar Leung choreographed the fight scenes, but his directorial touch is evident throughout the film, which closely recalls his own EXECUTIONERS FROM SHAOLIN (1977), which has a similar structure and also features Lo Lieh as a white-haired villain.

The good sense of humor through most of the film is what makes it work

[bob the moo · 16 November 2014]

When Hung Wending and Brother Biu defeat Priest White Eyebrows, the White Lotus Clan comes out for revenge. When Shaolin monks are released from captivity, Ko Chun Chung and the master White Lotus Priest slaughter them and turn towards Ting and Biu. Wending and his pregnant sister-in-law flee the battle to fight another day. The next day comes but Wending's crane and tiger style is clearly no match for the White Lotus Priest – and no matter how much he practices on the hapless Brother Shing, it is not getting better. Once her baby is born, his sister-in-law teaches him some unusual techniques to try to refine his skills to be capable of winning.

The opening battle of this film confused me a little bit, until I realized that it was more or less picking up from the end of Hong Xi Guan (Executioner from Shaolin). From here we get a plot which is fairly generic in terms of its details – a boss villain of great power, and a man who will train to defeat him, leading to a big final battle at the end. In this way the film does just what it does and there is not really much in the way of story beyond the tickboxes it goes through. What makes it good though is that there is a good sense of humor throughout. It takes a minute to get to, but once Brother Shing is in the film, it gets consistently very funny – both in his performance but also the way that Wending embraces the more feminine style of kung-fu. Between these two factors it is quite amusing.

The action is mostly good, although having watched a lot of films using weapons recently, I did miss this aspect of it since most of this is hand-to-hand. I also am not a fan of the whole 'retractable groin' thing – I remember it from the previous film and, although it is used less here, it is still in the character. Generally though the performances of Liu and Lo are both very good, playing off one another well. I was perhaps not as taken by the action as I would have liked, but it is done with a certain amount of fun, while the majority of the film does have frequent laughs and chuckles, making it an entertaining if slightly silly affair.