What's going on fight film fans? We've got another movie up for review here on Hai! Karate for you, this one starring veterans Ling Yun and Dorian Tan Tao Liang - Eight Escorts!!! They lead a fairly star-studded cast that features Lily Li-Li, Danny Lee, AND Michael Chan Wai Man. Now in addition to that, you've got Pao Hsueh-Li as director with I Kuang on the screenplay. You'd think this would make for a bang-up film right? Read on, dear reader, read on...
Eight Escorts begins with a rather lengthy
credits scene - no doubt inspired by the
Shaw Studios theme of elaborate movie intros
that was a standard during the late '70s
and 1980's. We then find Miss Wu(Hsu Feng)
in the possession of a batch of treasure
she recovered from her late brother's convoy
that she needs to be protected on the way
to Wuiyang. To this end, she enlists the
help of Chin Kai Tai(Yun) and other fighters
to protect the treasure from thieves. One
masked bandit in particular with serious
martial arts skill. Kai Tai hires seven
other men, but a heavy air of suspicion
grows - especially amongst them all. Who
is the masked bandit? What is the secret
Kai Tai has been keeping?
Okay, I'll just come right out with it:
Eight Escorts is CONFUSING AS HELL on the
first watch. The plot is convoluted, and
you need to pay close attention. Part of
the problem might be based on the version
currently available as far as the dub sure,
but you can't enjoy the flick as much if
you don't know what's going on. It seems
like they wanted to really focus on the
action from all of the stars. It's a shame
really. I found myself still a bit lost
about a half hour in on first viewing.
It's intriguing that the film company in
question managed to get all of this talent,
mainly recognizable ones from Shaw here
in this flick. But it is somewhat symbolic
of the one-offs that were prevalent in
martial arts cinema at that time. Ling
Yun is his old charismatic self here,
calm and assured in battle. Lily Li-Li gets
down with some fights, and even shows off
a more acrobatic side early on. Tan Tao
Liang lives up to his 'leg fighter' legacy
but in spotty fashion. Chan Wai Man gets
some screen time but more towards the middle.
But overall, Eight Escorts is a jumble. I
can't really claim it as a memorable flick.
For fans of the genre, it's worth a view or
two at most but the value won't get you more
than that.
RATING: 2 OUT OF 5 DRAGON PUNCHES
No comments:
Post a Comment