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Starring
:
Wan
Li Pang
Leung
Kar Yan
Shu
Jun Ping
Dean
Shek
Wang
Yung Sheung
Wang
Chi Sheng
Action
:
Wan
Li Pang
Producer
:
Lee
Ya Mai
Director
:
Wang
Chung Kwong
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MY
LIFE'S ON THE LINE (1979)
A.K.A.
- 60 Second Assassin
Reviewed
by Andrew Saroch
Hired
killer 'Minute Fong' is so-called throughout the kung-fu world
for his ability to beat an opponent in under a minute. With
such an effective technique, Fong naturally gains an unnerving
reputation throughout China. The killer is beginning to
rethink the actions of his life though and sees the next few
jobs as definitely being his last. After his girlfriend
commits suicide he finds his priorities in life changing even
though his employers promise him rich rewards for obedience.
Fong agrees to take one final assignment; to kill a man named
Lai in a specified town. The obvious catch is that the town is
inhabited by scores of men with this name and therefore the
assassin must carefully search out his target. While staying
in the designated location, Fong befriends a local boy who
proves to be a mischievous, yet good-hearted youngster who is
merely looking for a father figure. Over time, the supreme
fighter agrees to teach the boy kung-fu so that he can defend
himself and the rest of his family. As the master-student bond
develops, so does the friendship between Fong and the
youngster's mother and grandfather. Fully immersed in this
ordinary life, the killer forgets his assignment, but is
quickly reminded of it when he discovers who Lai really is.
Now Minute Fong must decide whether his loyalty lies with his
new friends or his ruthless employers.
The
fact that Wan Li Pang is no actor is clearly shown in the
dramatic content of this interesting kung-fu drama. In one
particular scene, where his girlfriend has committed suicide,
Wan shows no emotion or interest in the tragic event. His
stone-faced performance effects the film's more dramatic
moments and ultimately undoes its overall ambitions. However,
the fact that he is a superb screen fighter is very well
highlighted in the multitude of exciting bouts between Wan and
his various enemies. His kicking ability, while not in the
same league as the legendary Hwang Jang Lee, is certainly
impressive enough to make him stand out from the crowd. Aside
from these aspects, credit should be given to director Wang
Chung Kwong for trying something different with some tired
conventions. Wang actually tries to give each character depth
and motivation; these two important virtues give the whole
film a visible lift. Unfortunately the dramatic tones of the
film succumbs to some very inappropriate comedy courtesy of
Dean Shek, who seemed to make a career out of these awkward,
spoilt, perverted characters in the 1970s. 'My Life's On The
Line' also features one of the most abrupt endings in any
independent kung-fu flick - it's a real
'blink-and-you'll-miss-it' ending.
For
everyone looking for a fight-filled evening's entertainment,
'My Life's On The Line' will satisfy even the most jaded
viewer. There's also enough innovation to indicate that this
is more than just a brainless kung-fu feature. What keeps it
on a three star rating though are the glaring errors that drag
it back down to merely a just above average film.
Rating:
 
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