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Starring
:
Jackie
Chan
Lung
Jun Er
Kam
Kong
Chiang
Kam
Action
:
Tommy
Lee
Jackie
Chan
Producer
:
Lo
Wei
Director
:
Chan
Chi Hwa
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SHAOLIN
WOODEN MEN (1976)
A.K.A.
- Shaolin Chamber of Death; Young Tiger's Revenge
Reviewed
by Andrew Saroch
It's
a common misapprehension that Jackie Chan's Lo Wei era
produced nothing worth mentioning. Some feel that it was only
with 'Snake
In The Eagle's Shadow' that Chan was finally able to take
part in quality productions. However, he starred in three
notable efforts during his days before superstardom, films
that remain well worth watching. Although far removed from
what many new Jackie Chan fans may be expecting, 'Dragon
Fist', 'Snake
And Crane: Arts Of Shaolin' and 'Shaolin Wooden Men' show
that Chan's years toiling for Lo Wei were by no means wasted.
'Shaolin
Wooden Men' takes a very simple premise and immediately gives
it a twist. Chan plays a young Shaolin student who has taken a
vow of silence since seeing his parents killed by a masked
assassin as a child. While in Shaolin, this aptly titled
'Brother Mute' toils away hoping to defeat the dreaded Wooden
Men who bar the exit of all prospective fighters at the
temple. This goal of leaving Shaolin to find his parents'
killer seems a long way off until he meets a mysterious
prisoner who is being kept on the temple grounds. After the
initial awkwardness, Brother Mute forms an unusual friendship
with the stranger and agrees to steal food for him in exchange
for kung-fu lessons. Gradually the young fighter learns
advanced techniques from the haggard prisoner and is finally
able to qualify for leaving Shaolin. Following a lengthy
battle with the Wooden Men, Mute is allowed to leave the
temple and begin his real quest. In the outside world he
searches for any clues and comes to the aid of a local
restaurant owner while fending off a town gang. Mute then
meets his imprisoned teacher who has succeeded in escaping his
detention cell and is ready to resume his shady dealings. It
is only at this point that the naive avenger realises that his
own teacher is the dreaded criminal Fut Yu and that he himself
has played a part in the escape. A further twist means that
master and student must face each other in a battle to reveal
the truth about their individual motivations.
The
storyline, although hardly original, is peppered with
intriguing twists and an array of curious characters. This
deviation from the expect path of the revenge plot is one of
many reasons to watch 'Shaolin Wooden Men'. It's certainly not
perfect and not among Jackie Chan's best films, but there is
ample entertainment value. The fight action - handled by
choreographic supremo Tommy Lee - is fresh looking and really
stands out when one considers that the film was made in 1977.
Combining straight kung-fu skills with acrobatics and weapons
battles, there is much to enjoy on a purely adrenalin-based
level. Chan also gives a commanding performance as Brother
Mute; although not speaking until the conclusion, he conveys
emotion and anger with confident ability. Against him as the
main antagonist is the stern veteran Kam Kong who once again
shows why he makes such a powerful villain. 'Shaolin Wooden
Men' is certainly not the best Chan has to offer, but it has
plenty of compelling reasons to watch it.
Rating:
 
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