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Cliff Lok in the kung fu fights of his life
NINJA SUPREMO (1981) is an average showcase for the talents of Cliff Lok, the underrated kung fu star best known for DUEL OF THE SEVEN TIGERS, KUNG FU GENIUS, RING OF DEATH (aka BASTARD KUNG FU MASTER, also reviewed on this site) and MAD, MAD KUNG FU (aka OL' DIRTY KUNG FU). Here he plays a rich kid who wants to learn kung fu, only to get caught up in an old feud after he insists on learning from a teacher being pursued by old foes. Lok spends a lot of time training--much more than usual for this type of film--and the first real battle doesn't come until the 56-minute mark. He loses that one and goes back for more training so that, in the last 20 minutes, he and his teacher fight two crippled kung fu masters in battles that are as rough and grueling as any I've seen in a film like this. Lok and his teacher, Ku Jeng (aka Kau Chen), really have to earn their victory here. Nothing comes easy for them. And since Lok is such a fine actor, the whole thing comes off as more believable than usual. Of the two main villains, Tsai Hung plays the one with the nervous disorder and Ma Chin Ku plays the hunchback. Both men's condition derives from the beating they got in the opening fight, seen under the credits, with the main teacher. Yueh Hua (COME DRINK WITH ME) puts in a guest appearance.
While not a top-drawer kung fu film like KUNG FU GENIUS or RING OF DEATH, this one is reasonably well made, adequately shot, directed and edited and boasts a good cast of familiar kung fu faces, although the English dubbing is poor. Part of Tai Seng's Martial Arts Theater line, the print is a bit on the scratchy side and the colors are not very bright, but the transfer is sharp.
While not a top-drawer kung fu film like KUNG FU GENIUS or RING OF DEATH, this one is reasonably well made, adequately shot, directed and edited and boasts a good cast of familiar kung fu faces, although the English dubbing is poor. Part of Tai Seng's Martial Arts Theater line, the print is a bit on the scratchy side and the colors are not very bright, but the transfer is sharp.
- BrianDanaCamp
- Oct 14, 2003
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