Cast Member: Wu Ma

Despite never straying towards originality and unlikely to win awards, there’s still an admirable mixture of action and drama to commend.

‘Swordsman’ is not as strong as its superior sequel and the aforementioned difficulties are all apparent, but it is still an ultimately rewarding film.

At the end of the day, ‘Temple Of The Red Lotus’ works as more of a historical artefact than a genuinely exciting swordplay feature.

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.

All in all, another quality Sammo production that deserves a wider audience.

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

When the story steps up a gear and begins to blend in various antagonists, ‘The Gold Hunters’ becomes a joy to behold.

For anyone who wants a change from the late-70s kung fu comedy cycle, ‘The Heroes’ is a film that is heartily recommended.

‘The Hunted Hunter’ never aspires beyond the limitations of the sub-genre – it remains content to bulldoze through the plot-holes with its action sequences.

‘The Knight Of Knights’ could easily be considered standard Shaw Brothers fair, if it weren’t for the slight twist on the style of storytelling.

There’s little room for Chow’s trademark “fast speak” here, and it’s definitely more ‘Three Stooges’ than ‘Monty Python’.

While not offering the very finest of Sammo’s work, ‘The Owl Vs Bombo’ is an entertaining and worthwhile slice of 80’s Hong Kong cinema.