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Starring
:
Leung
Kar Yan
Wong
Yat Lung
Eddie
Ko
Chien
Yuet Sat
Action
:
Robert
Tai
Producer
:
Chow
Fook Leung
Director
:
Yip
Wing Cho
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THE
THUNDERING MANTIS (1980)
Reviewed
by Andrew Saroch
Leung
Kar Yan plays a kung-fu obsessed nobody whose various antics
land him in trouble with local gyms. After getting a sound
thrashing from local heavy Hsia (veteran bad guy Eddie Ko),
Leung befriends an acrobatic kid who then introduces him to
this grumpy uncle. The uncle refuses to teach a stranger his
Mantis Fist and therefore Leung is forced to learn in secret.
After another beating at the hands of Hsia, Leung is finally
accepted as a student albeit through trickery. The new student
relishes this punishing training and continues to form a bond
with his new master. However, Hsia is eager to finish what he
started and kills nearly everyone Leung knows and values -
including his eccentric master. With just the kid and himself
left, Leung is forced to see his friend's demise at Hsia's
hands; however, the sheer trauma acts as the catalyst for
Leung to take revenge as he is finally pushed over the edge.
The
success of 'Sleeping Fist' meant the re-teaming of popular
kung fu star Leung Kar Yan and acrobatic youngster Wong Yat
Lung for a film that stays pretty much within the boundries of
the kung fu genre. The film follows the well-known storyline
of 'fighter finds master: master teaches hidden secrets to new
student: villain kills master: fighter exacts revenge' and
within these conventions is an enjoyable yet unremarkable
kung-fu film. However, the last ten minutes flips this onto
its head as the audience literally see Leung Kar Yan go insane
and decimate the villain's hordes. Cackling, crying and
shrieking, the hero suddenly goes beyond the usual confines of
revenge and enters complete madness; the effect of this on the
film is jaw-dropping to watch. 'The Thundering Mantis' is a
three star film that earns a fourth for its remarkable ending
and Leung Kar Yan's virtuoso performance as the hero driven
straight over the edge.
Rating:
 
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