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Starring
:
John
Liu
Blacky
Ko
Alan
Hsu
Jack
Long
Wong
Hang Sau
Producer
:
Wu
Yu Yun
Director
:
Cheung
San Yi
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SHAOLIN
EX-MONK (1978)
A.K.A.
- Renegade Monk
Reviewed
by Andrew Saroch
Happy-Go-Lucky
orphan Chow (Ko) has only two loves in life: the first one is
Tin, the beautiful daughter of one of the town's most
influential men; the second is kung fu, or rather his desire
to find a master that will teach him it. His first love leads
to a confrontation that helps him with his second as Tin's
father sends his minions out to beat Chow and a mysterious
kung fu expert comes to his defence. After being rescued from
the lynch mob, Chow begs the stranger (Liu) to teach him kung
fu, a request that is eventually accepted. However, while the
training continues, the local inhabitants are rocked by a
series of murders that leave few clues and even fewer
suspects. Chow and his new master decide to investigate, but
are unable to uncover any new information and are left to wait
for the murderer's next move. Unfortunately the murderer's
next action is to kill Tin's father and further distress not
only the locals, but also the woman Chow loves. Although the
young student was far from friendly with Tin's father, he
resolves to find the killer and solve the mystery that has
baffled the town authorities.
A
fast-moving, superior mixture of just about every sub-genre
going, 'Shaolin Ex-Monk' is an excellent example of an
independent film that sets out its stall early on and doesn't
disappoint. Too many independent kung fu films concentrate
their energies on copying the comic antics of Jackie Chan -
though without the charm - or the extensive training sequences
of '36th Chamber Of Shaolin', only to get bogged down in
mediocrity. 'Shaolin Ex-Monk' refuses to concentrate all of
its energies on just one aspect and it is probably this
consistency that really works in the film's favour; it's not
only a straight kung fu film, but also a murder mystery and,
at times, a comedy. By using each portion of this sparingly,
director Cheung San Yi ensures that there are rarely moments
that lack interest or that fail ton involve the viewer. If
there is one aspect of the film that does seem awkward it is
the unnecessary use of tricks to enhance some of the fight
action. Some very obvious wirework (including the very visible
wires!) are at odds with the quality of the rest of the film.
These gimmicks are really not needed when seasoned performers
like John Liu and Jack Long are in the cast; Liu lights up the
screen with his explosive bootwork while Jack Long and the
endearing Blacky Ko provide extra physical presence. 'Shaolin
Ex-Monk' is a tight, fight-filled independent film with a
polished feel that lifts it above the average genre flick.
Rating:
  
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