Action Member: Mang Hoi

If you like your early 90s wuxia flicks full of excessive theatrical action and characters then ‘Deadful Melody’ is a lot of fun.

Thankfully, you’re never too far away from a spot of fisticuffs, which is a very good thing because you’re not likely to gain much enjoyment from any other part of this film.

‘Fight Back To School 3’ is a sad dip in quality for the series, with Jing reducing the all-important comedy routines to the lowest common denominator.

If you prefer to see Jackie in films like ‘Shanghai Noon’ and ‘Rush Hour’ then this may not be for you, but if you want to see an alternative to his stereotyped bumbling hero then it will certainly deliver.

‘Kung Fu Vs. Yoga’ does not rank among the absolute cream of the genre, but there is definite enjoyment on offer here.

‘Legacy of Rage’ may not even be in the same category as ‘A Better Tomorrow’, but it makes for relatively pleasing pop entertainment.

As a pure piece of pulp entertainment, ‘Legendary Amazons’ is a hoot. Nevertheless, there is always the feeling at the back of your mind that a story as famous as this deserves much better handling.

‘Ninja In The Dragon’s Den’ stands out as a fully-accomplished kung-fu comedy with superb fight action.

It’s far better than other American style martial arts movies such as ‘China O’Brien’, ‘American Shaolin’ and the like, showing what can be done if a little extra time is taken over the choreography.

The final reel is raw power and energy as Sammo takes on a small army of goons before meeting his match in Billy Chow.

This is the definitive Hong Kong action flick of the 80’s, easily on a par with ‘Police Story’ and should take pride of place in any fan’s collection.

Just scraping into the 4 star category, the ever-watchable Michelle Yeoh produces more classic 80’s action in a way only the battling babes can!