I thought ASSAULT OF THE FINAL RIVAL came up well below par as a kung fu film and is notable only for featuring a storyline borrowed from the Biblical tale of Samson and Delilah. The hero, as played by Don Wong, is a man who uses his lengthy locks to battle his opponents, that is until a sneaky bad guy compels Wong's girlfriend to give him a haircut in his sleep.
What follows is a near hour of non-action and instead plenty of melodrama. The tears flow freely, a pregnancy and birth follow, and Wong barely appears on the screen. It tests the patience quite considerably and martial arts fans will undoubtedly be twiddling their thumbs and waiting for something - anything - to happen.
There are a few elements of interest including a fighter with one of those massive straw hats like in the Lone Wolf & Cub films but for the most part this is a real bore. Wong seems to have been doubled for some of his fights which is a further disappointment, but the battles are so poorly conceived that it doesn't really matter. ASSAULT OF THE FINAL RIVAL is a boring film from beginning to end.
What follows is a near hour of non-action and instead plenty of melodrama. The tears flow freely, a pregnancy and birth follow, and Wong barely appears on the screen. It tests the patience quite considerably and martial arts fans will undoubtedly be twiddling their thumbs and waiting for something - anything - to happen.
There are a few elements of interest including a fighter with one of those massive straw hats like in the Lone Wolf & Cub films but for the most part this is a real bore. Wong seems to have been doubled for some of his fights which is a further disappointment, but the battles are so poorly conceived that it doesn't really matter. ASSAULT OF THE FINAL RIVAL is a boring film from beginning to end.