Master Chien (Danny Lee Sau-Yin) laments how he isn't pleased with how his wealth is dispersed. So, he figures the best thing to do is screw over the locals working for him by cutting their wages and benefits. He even refuses to pay out when there's an explosion at the mine and several workers are killed and more are injured. The townsfolk ban together and request retired Wushu Master, Chuang Yang aka Iron Fist King (Chui Hung) have a chat with Chien to make him see reason (as if that would ever happen). Yang brings along his two workers/students, A mute who loves to fight (Cheng Lui) and Fung Ta (Mark Lung Koon-Mo), whom Yang often refers to as lazy.
Yang's students fight their way into Chien's place after being told Yang was not allowed entrance as he gave Chien attitude a yer earlier. Chien has Yang challenge his body guard Fung Tai (Mark Lung Koon-Mo). Yang defeats Tai in a few moves, much to Tai's amazement. Chien agrees to the terms to make things better for the townspeople. He has no intention of actually doing it, but makes the promise anyway.
Chien decides the townsfolk need a lesson on who's in charge and takes off on a journey. He informs Tai and his other cronies to leave Yang alone until Chien returns.
Enter Lu Tang (David Chiang Da-Wei), who has traveled a great distance to request Yang become his Loashi. Lu goes to the wrong school where he's informed Yang is washed up an useless. Lu disagrees and gets directions to the proper location. Lu is kept out of Yang's home by The mute, who motions Yang is no longer accepting students. Undeterred, Lu kneels in front of the door, awaiting his chance to speak with Yang.
Lu is discovered by Yang's daughter, Yen Er (Pearl Cheung Ling) and Fung Ta, who are returning from town. They tell Lu in order to speak with Yang, he has to collect 100 frogs - Yang's favorite food. Lu spends nearly an entire day collecting the frogs. He presents them to Fung, who then tells Lu he has to show patience by hanging upside down all night from the tree just outside the door. Lu, of course, does it. He's found unconscious by Yen and Fung the net morning.
Lu recuperates while Yen tries to convince her father that taking Lu on as a student is a good idea. Yang is adamant he is no longer a teacher. He will, however, take Lu on as a worker. Yang is stunned when the townsfolk also ask to be his students. They want to be strong enough to challenge Chien and fore him to do right by the people. Yang doesn't want to get involved but is reminded he has been involved since he went to Chien's place and challenged Tai.
Yang agrees to open the school. Fung helps lead the classes. One by one, the students quit until there's only Lu. Yang decides Lu will be the one to learn the Yang family Wushu style. The Mute is too easily riled will easily fight. Fung is simply too lazy to bother keeping up with the studies. Lu trains by doing push-ups from the top of four poles and then running up the "ladder" which consists of several poles, one higher than the last. Yen runs over the poles with ease to demonstrate. Lu, falls a few times before getting the hang of it.
Chien returns with a new fighter in tow, Hung Ying (Michael Chan Wai-Man) who demonstrates his skills by eliminating Tai. Chien offers Hung Ying anything he desires to do Chien's bidding. Chien is not pleased to see Ying's desire is to have Chien's daughter. Hung also wants half of everything Chien possesses. They come to an unsteady agreement and Hung sets out to remind the townsfolk Chien is in charge.
Chien sets up Yang's Mute student on a phony rape charge that gets the town to turn against Yang. Hung hunts down the student and takes him to Yang's to face the townsfolk. Rather than embarrass his loashi, the mute kills himself. Yang is injured in a battle with Hung.
Yang decides to truly teach Lu the Yang family Wushu style. They go to a secluded location where the teaching can begin and Yang can recuperate. They are at the location long enough to plant a garden and see it come to flourish and still no teaching occurs. Lots of bean curds and veggies get eaten though. Yang does admit to Yen that he's not her biological father. He spins the usual tale of wanting to be #1 in the Wushu world and abandons Yen's mother to accomplish it. He returns, after becoming #1, to find Yen's mom ha moved on with another man. Yen's parents die from illness and Yang is asked to are for her as his own. Yen is unphased by the news and says Yang is her true dad.
They finally get around to teaching the Yang style to Lu and it's a bit of a let down. I was hoping to see some impressive moves, but it's just odd combinations slapped together. Making it more confusing is realizing this style is supposed to be performed as a couple. Yang admits the sixth step isn't complete. He and Yen's mom parted before they could work out the details. Sadly, Yang dies from his injuries as Yen is demonstrating the completed part of step 6. This leaves Yen and Lu to figure it out for themselves.
Personally, I liked Fung's idea that it should be Monkey Style. Step 6 is suppose to be about change. Monkey Style is nothing if not changeable. Yen dismisses the idea completely.
The final battle is at Chien's house. Lu, yen and Fung have to face Hung before they can face Chien. It's the usual fight the minions before you fight the big boss scene. The Wushu is weak. I was expecting more with David Chiang Da-Wei in the cast. He usually has some compelling fights. This looked phoned in, imho. Fung proves he's not actually lazy by taking on a few minions on his own. he even manages to get a few shots in on Hung, who is also surprised by Fung's skills.
The Yang style works to defeat Hung, but has issues when it comes to the battle with Chien. Fung keeps suggesting the 6th step needs to finish with Monkey style, but is once more ignored. Lu and Yen mix up the other steps in their final battle with Chien. Surprising, it works. It looks lame, but it works to defeat him.
I gave it a 6 because the plot moves along with few hitches and of course, David Chiang Da-Wei is in featured. Had the Wushu been better choreographed, it would have receive a better rating.
Yang's students fight their way into Chien's place after being told Yang was not allowed entrance as he gave Chien attitude a yer earlier. Chien has Yang challenge his body guard Fung Tai (Mark Lung Koon-Mo). Yang defeats Tai in a few moves, much to Tai's amazement. Chien agrees to the terms to make things better for the townspeople. He has no intention of actually doing it, but makes the promise anyway.
Chien decides the townsfolk need a lesson on who's in charge and takes off on a journey. He informs Tai and his other cronies to leave Yang alone until Chien returns.
Enter Lu Tang (David Chiang Da-Wei), who has traveled a great distance to request Yang become his Loashi. Lu goes to the wrong school where he's informed Yang is washed up an useless. Lu disagrees and gets directions to the proper location. Lu is kept out of Yang's home by The mute, who motions Yang is no longer accepting students. Undeterred, Lu kneels in front of the door, awaiting his chance to speak with Yang.
Lu is discovered by Yang's daughter, Yen Er (Pearl Cheung Ling) and Fung Ta, who are returning from town. They tell Lu in order to speak with Yang, he has to collect 100 frogs - Yang's favorite food. Lu spends nearly an entire day collecting the frogs. He presents them to Fung, who then tells Lu he has to show patience by hanging upside down all night from the tree just outside the door. Lu, of course, does it. He's found unconscious by Yen and Fung the net morning.
Lu recuperates while Yen tries to convince her father that taking Lu on as a student is a good idea. Yang is adamant he is no longer a teacher. He will, however, take Lu on as a worker. Yang is stunned when the townsfolk also ask to be his students. They want to be strong enough to challenge Chien and fore him to do right by the people. Yang doesn't want to get involved but is reminded he has been involved since he went to Chien's place and challenged Tai.
Yang agrees to open the school. Fung helps lead the classes. One by one, the students quit until there's only Lu. Yang decides Lu will be the one to learn the Yang family Wushu style. The Mute is too easily riled will easily fight. Fung is simply too lazy to bother keeping up with the studies. Lu trains by doing push-ups from the top of four poles and then running up the "ladder" which consists of several poles, one higher than the last. Yen runs over the poles with ease to demonstrate. Lu, falls a few times before getting the hang of it.
Chien returns with a new fighter in tow, Hung Ying (Michael Chan Wai-Man) who demonstrates his skills by eliminating Tai. Chien offers Hung Ying anything he desires to do Chien's bidding. Chien is not pleased to see Ying's desire is to have Chien's daughter. Hung also wants half of everything Chien possesses. They come to an unsteady agreement and Hung sets out to remind the townsfolk Chien is in charge.
Chien sets up Yang's Mute student on a phony rape charge that gets the town to turn against Yang. Hung hunts down the student and takes him to Yang's to face the townsfolk. Rather than embarrass his loashi, the mute kills himself. Yang is injured in a battle with Hung.
Yang decides to truly teach Lu the Yang family Wushu style. They go to a secluded location where the teaching can begin and Yang can recuperate. They are at the location long enough to plant a garden and see it come to flourish and still no teaching occurs. Lots of bean curds and veggies get eaten though. Yang does admit to Yen that he's not her biological father. He spins the usual tale of wanting to be #1 in the Wushu world and abandons Yen's mother to accomplish it. He returns, after becoming #1, to find Yen's mom ha moved on with another man. Yen's parents die from illness and Yang is asked to are for her as his own. Yen is unphased by the news and says Yang is her true dad.
They finally get around to teaching the Yang style to Lu and it's a bit of a let down. I was hoping to see some impressive moves, but it's just odd combinations slapped together. Making it more confusing is realizing this style is supposed to be performed as a couple. Yang admits the sixth step isn't complete. He and Yen's mom parted before they could work out the details. Sadly, Yang dies from his injuries as Yen is demonstrating the completed part of step 6. This leaves Yen and Lu to figure it out for themselves.
Personally, I liked Fung's idea that it should be Monkey Style. Step 6 is suppose to be about change. Monkey Style is nothing if not changeable. Yen dismisses the idea completely.
The final battle is at Chien's house. Lu, yen and Fung have to face Hung before they can face Chien. It's the usual fight the minions before you fight the big boss scene. The Wushu is weak. I was expecting more with David Chiang Da-Wei in the cast. He usually has some compelling fights. This looked phoned in, imho. Fung proves he's not actually lazy by taking on a few minions on his own. he even manages to get a few shots in on Hung, who is also surprised by Fung's skills.
The Yang style works to defeat Hung, but has issues when it comes to the battle with Chien. Fung keeps suggesting the 6th step needs to finish with Monkey style, but is once more ignored. Lu and Yen mix up the other steps in their final battle with Chien. Surprising, it works. It looks lame, but it works to defeat him.
I gave it a 6 because the plot moves along with few hitches and of course, David Chiang Da-Wei is in featured. Had the Wushu been better choreographed, it would have receive a better rating.
