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Cast:
Jet
Li
Yu
Hai
Yu
Cheng Wai
Wong
Chou Yin
Action:
Liu
Chia Liang
Producer:
Fu
Qi
Director:
Liu
Chia Liang
Score:
 
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MARTIAL
ARTS OF SHAOLIN
AKA:
Shaolin Temple 3 ||
North And South Shaolin || Arahan
Year:
1986 Reviewer: Andrew
Saroch
1981
saw the release of China's first official foray into the
traditional kung-fu film. With a respectable budget and a
young Wu Shu champion in the lead role, 'Shaolin Temple'
proved to be a massive hit and made a significant mark in a
crowded genre. It also made a star of Jet Li - an action star
who is now enjoying worldwide popularity. A sequel, 'Kids From
Shaolin', followed shortly after and, although not living up
to the original, it still boasted some impressive action and a
cast growing in confidence. Then came the the final part of
the trilogy (though none of the films are actually related
plot-wise) and this time legendary director Liu Chia Liang
took control of the production.
Although
related in name and cast only, this third part features a
storyline very similar to the original. A young Shaolin
disciple, orphaned after his parents were killed by a despotic
general, concentrates his time on developing his fighting
abilities. During the course of time, the avenger sees his
skills improve and he turns from a callow youth into a
confident exponent. On one of his many excursions outside of
the temple, he meets up with a band of rebels who share his
hatred of the ruthless general. Together the group plan an
assassination during an elaborate festival, but their attempt
is unsuccessful and they are therefore forced to go on the
run. The general is now aware of his determined enemies and
increases the amount of protection around him. This not only
makes the rebels' task even more difficult, but it also means
that it is only a matter of time before they are caught. Being
forced into a corner means that the Shaolin fighter and his
new friends must make their final move before they are
apprehended. Gaining vital help from some Shaolin comrades as
well, the heroes make one last attempt to get to the general
before he wreaks even more havoc.
In
some ways it could be argued that 'Martial Arts Of Shaolin' is
a virtual remake of the original. The cast is nearly the same
and the revenge-fuelled plot is carried out in much the same
manner. However, there is a definite difference between the
films though the are both excellent in their own right. The
major alteration is director Liu Chia Liang's inclusion of
harder-edged kung-fu as opposed to the more acrobatic Wu Shu
of the original. There is still countless opportunities to
enjoy the performers demonstrating impressive physical feats,
but Liang makes sure that it is not at the expense of
traditional techniques. Jet Li excels in this third lead role
with another flawless display of kung-fu alongside his
dramatic abilities.
Although
'Martial Arts Of Shaolin' lacks the depth of some of Liu Chia
Liang's Shaw Brothers' masterpieces, it does display his
strong visual style. The relatively big budget is well exposed
on the screen with luscious landscapes and vividly dressed
extras the order of the day. This powerful cinematic look
helps make this an epic kung-fu film the like of which was not
often seen at this point. The final word then is this: a
superior production that is satisfying in nearly every
department.
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