Sometimes viewers can only take films at face value; elsewhere it behooves us to consider the context of a production, or the circumstances that resulted in something being made as it was, and granting some allowances on that basis. In this case of this flick we must take the latter approach and acknowledge that stereotypically lousy English dubbing isn't specifically the fault of the filmmaker (it's deeply unfortunately that sometimes these are the only versions that seem to be available for a given movie), and it's also possible that an international feature was mangled in re-editing, and in translation of dialogue and exposition, in the process of preparing it for distribution abroad. Only a direct comparison between the international English dub and the original Mandarin release could definitively answer these questions, and that's beyond my capability. What I do know is that 'Shaolin iron claws,' or 'Hawk's fist,' as it exists in the English-speaking world, is all too questionable in some key ways.
It's not that there's no entertainment to be had here. I discern firm foundations in the visuals and direction for a splendid Hong Kong martial arts picture. If it's action you want, it's action you'll get, and the stunts and fight choreography in and of themselves are pretty swell; just as much to the point, the editing and camerawork don't chop up the action as we sometimes see elsewhere. While there's no mistaking that this is not a work from the premier kung fu film houses of Golden Harvest or The Shaw Brothers, there's nevertheless much to appreciate in the sets, costume design, and filming locations, just as we would expect of kindred titles. My concern is with the writing, and whether the blame belongs on the shoulders of the original release or of those who assembled the English dub, the result as it presents is the same. As I see it 'Shaolin iron claws' is rather sloppy about clearly developing its plot, and the story has trouble putting itself together; I recognize commendable elements, but the form they take is kind of dubious. The dialogue is awful, the characterizations are highly questionable, the scene writing is far less than sure-footed, and basic connectivity between beats and ideas isn't exactly rock solid. Attempted humor falls flat; the more clever the narrative tries to be, especially in the back end, the less convincing it is.
What quite comes across is that the roots are sturdy, but one way or another the level of skill, intelligence, and care by which the film subsequently took shape leaves much to be desired. Maybe director Shih-Hao Ko is most responsible; maybe screenwriter Sung-Po Liu is; maybe we should instead be looking at Shih-Hao's co-producers Wu Tung Ku and Hui Fen Ping, or still others involved in some capacity. Were the material handled more mindfully this would surely be a respected or even revered Hong Kong classic; as it stands the value it does boast, and the potential it had for still more, is dragged down by unwieldy storytelling. I don't dislike the feature, and to some degree I wonder if I'm not being too harsh; the action sequences are such a great time that just on their account I almost want to hold the whole in higher esteem than I do. Still, the fact is that the fun that it has to offer is the sort we can also get elsewhere, without the significant flaws that make the viewing experience somewhat tiring. I'm glad for those who get more out of 'Shaolin iron claws' than I do; as far as I'm concerned this is a movie that's best enjoyed on a very lazy day, when you're not particularly in the mood for anything else. You could do much worse, yet for everything else we could be watching, there's not a lot of reason to seek this out in the first place.
