If there was any doubt about the pedigree of this ‘genuine’ kung-fu film, the credit sequence goes to great lengths to show the skills of the main performers along with their qualifications. That feels appropriate given that this is a film that examines the Chinese response to the creation of karate and its apparent ability to plough its way through the traditional styles.
After being beaten in his bid to be appointed head monk of Shaolin, embittered Sze decides to leave the temple and start forming his own style. Years of devotion in Japan allow Sze to combine all of the elements of kung fu with a new, harder edge, creating karate. Sze returns to his homeland and starts a campaign of revenge against the heads of the various schools, using karate to humiliate them. With the martial world in disarray, it’s decided that a team of the best fighters in the land needs to be put together to face the threat from Sze.
The aforementioned pedigree and desire for authenticity lend ‘Duel of the 7 Tigers’ a quality that sets it apart from many of its contemporaries. From the locations to the varied styles used, director Yeung Kuen sets his stall out early within his work and creates a genre piece that has stood the test of time. It borrows from ‘Seven Samurai’, adding a cast of intriguing characters to the mix, but is proud of its provenance. Clocking in at around 90 minutes, the genre standard, one of the weaknesses of ‘Duel of the 7 Tigers’ is its length; the personalities that are added to the story and their kung-fu styles are not given enough screen time. While I often bemoan long, laborious running times, it’s rare that I will criticise a film for being too short, but ‘Duel of the 7 Tigers’ could have benefited from another ten to twenty minutes.
That criticism in mind, this is still an above-average kung-fu film. A bit more refined and with carefully choreographed action, its dedication to authenticity is much more than just a gimmick – it adds something very powerful to the story. The other strength is Phillip Ko, who plays the preening villain Sze to a ‘T’; the viewer is given little doubt that he is a genuine threat throughout. In terms of pure action, it’s probably Ko’s best showing and he is a formidable presence in the second half of the film. Scenes of Ko taking on one fighter after another never feel forced – you genuinely believe that Sze can take on the whole of China by himself. ‘Duel of the 7 Tigers’ is highly recommended – it may have its faults, but its qualities greatly outweigh them.
