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十八羅漢陣 (1975)
18 Shaolin Disciples


Reviewed by: STSH
Date: 12/30/2000
Summary: Bit of a let-down

Comparisons with Shaolin Kung Fu Mystagogue are inevitable, seeing the top three stars are in both.

There's some quite okay fights, but too few of them. The plot is hard to follow at times, and only begins to make sense in the last third. The climactic scene is actually a non-fight, which I suppose sets this film somewhat apart from many other fu films. While appreciating the intention of this plot point, I still found this to be a letdown.

Chang Yi is one of my fave supervillains, but he doesn't manage to be super-evil here. Perhaps the filmmakers were still working him into that persona when this film was made. Also, the great Hsu Feng was onscreen far too little, and rather too subdued, despite killing a few baddies with a few quite slashes.

All in all, the sum of a number of small disappointments. It's not actually awful, but could've been better.

Reviewer Score: 4