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Starring
:
Casanova
Wong
Sammo
Hung
Leung
Kar Yan
Fong
Hak On
Lee
Hoi San
Liu
Chia Yung
Action
:
Sammo
Hung
Fong
Hak On
Billy
Chan
Producer
:
Raymond
Chow
Director
:
Sammo
Hung
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WARRIORS
TWO (1978)
A.K.A.
- Warriors 2
Reviewed
by Andrew Saroch
If
there was one film that truly brought Sammo Hung out of the
shadows of Hong Kong action cinema it was the 1978 kung fu
classic 'Warriors Two'. Previously Sammo had created a
formidable reputation that was full of promise for the future,
but with nothing substantial to show for it. 'Iron
Fisted Monk' gave the first directorial indication that
this was a real master of the craft and the follow-up cemented
this well-founded potential.
The
town of Fatshan is famous for being the home of revered Wing
Chun master Liang Chiang who uses his honourable influence to
keep peace in the locality. Concealed within Fatshan though is
powerful outlaw Mo who has adopted a facade of respectability
by opening a bank with his cohorts. When local worker Chen Wah
(Wong) overhears the plottings of Mo and his dubious allies,
his natural reaction is to give the information to the
authorities to deal with. Unfortunately, in so doing, Chen
uncovers the extreme underbelly of corruption that infests the
town and barely escapes with his life after coming
face-to-face with a formidable line-up of villains. While
recovering at the home of Fat Chan (Sammo) he finds that the
ones he loves the most have also become targets of these
outlaws and he himself must do something to combat this. After
much persuasion from Fat Chan, Liang Chiang finally accepts
this young avenger as a new disciple and begins the intense
training. Chen eventually becomes a powerful exponent of Wing
Chun and is ready to face those who have destroyed his life.
However, Mo has a powerful army of fighters at his disposal
and a few tricks up his sleeve for prospective challengers.
Unlike
Sammo's 1981 classic 'The
Prodigal Son', this isn't just focused on the life of
Liang Chiang. Instead, the film follows the familiar pattern
of revenge and retribution against a nearly-unbeatable foe.
'Warriors Two' is not intended to explore characters in the
way later Sammo works would do, but remains firmly rooted in
the action of the genre. It is in this area that 'Warriors
Two' will always be remembered as the skilled
choreographer/director assembles a superb cast and puts them
through their paces in a series of super-charged fight scenes.
For this reason particularly then the film stands out as a
definite must-see and certainly above average. Where it does
stumble though is with its over-reliance on comedy in the most
inappropriate moments (i.e. the last fifteen minutes) and the
feeling that the production still has the unpolished feel to
it that Sammo quickly pushed out. Both points are evident in
the overlong ending which throws the protagonists against a
seemingly endless array of opponents with an almost numbing
effect and then adds some over-the-top comedy to the mix. By
the time the credits roll, the impression is that Sammo could
have edited some of the rough edges out of the film for a
better overall result. With all these taken into account
though, 'Warriors Two' is still a memorable kung fu film that
will continue to win new admirers.
Rating:
 
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