Cast Member: Helen Poon

This splendid period kung-fu film once again gives evidence of the immense quality that rolled out of the Shaw Brothers studios during the 70’s.

The director has taken complicated source material and distilled it into something arresting before, but here he finds too many sub-plots to balance and too many characters to accommodate.

Ultimately, ‘Invincible Enforcer’ proves such a hit or miss affair that it’s not hard to see why it has remained virtually unknown to international audiences since its release.

It’s a shame to report that ‘Legend of the Fox’, while peppered with solid characters and decent fisticuffs, is a frustrating experience.

‘My School Mate, the Barbarian’ is an unusual film that centres on a world of youths that rarely touches that of the adult realm. If the viewer can get used to this, they should enjoy the rest of the duration.

There’s therefore much to recommend this superior sequel, a film that takes the best elements of the original and invites viewers to contemplate a message beyond the common expectations of the genre.

Lau Wing may not be an accomplished screen fighter, but it is his portrayal of Lu Xiaofeng that earns this a moderate rating that it otherwise would not deserve.

Ultimately, ‘The Fighting Fool’ is so captivating because, alongside the superlative action, there is a real chemistry between the two leads.

Not as plot driven or character based as ‘Five Venoms’, ‘The Kid With The Golden Arm’ concentrates on the stylish action that dominates its running time.