Cast Member: Yueh Hua

The action is far superior to that of any American made film on ten times the budget, and shows Chan at his best shortly after the excellent ‘Drunken Master 2’.

‘Shaolin Temple’ is still a major achievement by a film-maker who was one of the true creators of the genre. There is, therefore, plenty to put this near the top of your viewing list.

Unfortunately, the film itself falls far short the sum of its dazzling parts, with a central love story too lightweight to sustain either the bulk of the plot or the grand tragedy of the climax.

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.

‘The Idiot Swordsman’ is a disappointing use of cast and concept, choosing to tread very tired ground rather than explore the full potential of the story.

Even fans of the convoluted martial world of the swordplay genre may find ‘Jade Tiger’ a tiresome 90 minutes.

The amusing antics of the Monkey king and Pigsy always seem to make for good movie material and I’m happy to report that this film is no exception.

Chor Yuen is once again painstaking in his vision of the visual ambience of the martial world, while he also gets fine performances out of his cast.

While it fails to ignite the screen, ‘The Shadow Whip’ does offer some moments of interest – especially during its opening twenty minute period.

If you enjoyed the previous two films or perhaps have an affinity for the more old fashioned Shaw Brothers movies, then you’ll no doubt find something to appreciate in ‘The Sword And The Lute’.

Strong performances, intelligently filmed action and an all round aura of quality mean that this comfortably hits a four star rating.

‘The Water Margin’ is the kind of grandiose masterwork that is enthralling and, despite the presence of three accomplished directors, has a remarkable consistency to it.