Cast Member: Billy Chow

Joyce Godenzi accepts the lead role with real grace and, like Michelle Yeoh before her, is a flawless mixture of fighting prowess and femininity.

This may not be his very best comedy, but it is definitely worthwhile and among his better efforts. Therefore this still has much to commend and is well worth watching.

There is much to enjoy about this film, and the ingenuity shown in many scenes is typical of HK, proving that it can offer a lot more than found in Hollywood no-brainers.

The action (ladder fight excepted) is equal to part 1, but not the dramatic element, and it is certainly not the equal of part 2 for fight choreography.

Although Sammo and Maggie rarely create any convincing chemistry, the film contains enough action and laughs to entertain most Hong Kong fans.

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

The title bears no resemblance to the film it makes you think of and also bears little relevance to anything in this actual film, instead ‘Roaring Dragon, Bluffing Tiger’ is just a dull and lazy wannabe adventure flick.

An extremely dated Category III exploitation flick that, a few nasty bits aside, is more camp than cool.

This leans more towards the quick-cut close ups of more recent Hollywood efforts. Most of the fights are also glossed over as short “highlights” rather than letting us see the full action.

‘Tai Chi II’ features an average plot and some unnecessary over-the-top moments, but is a decent effort that usually earns little attention from Hong Kong film fans.

If, like me, you loved the 80’s action style of people like Yuen Kwai then this is a good purchase, as the fights stand up to repeat viewings even if the rest does not.

What makes ‘Gambling Ghost’ an above-average feature is undoubtedly the superb performance by the film’s main star.