SUPER POWER (1980) is a moderately exciting showcase for Indonesian martial artist Billy Chong, who had a brief round of stardom in Taiwan-based kung fu films in the early 1980s. Chong was not only a good fighter and physically agile, but a handsome screen presence with a fair amount of charm. Here he plays the carefree son of a martial arts champion who gets thrust into one of his father's old battles and has to measure up in order to defend the family name.
A dying Manchu kung fu fighter sends his three sons on a mission of revenge against the five Southern champs who defeated and humiliated him a generation ago. The three Manchus enter the town where the old champs live and begin challenging and fighting an unprepared group of once-powerful martial artists and their sons. They're not averse to underhanded tactics such as setting two families against each other. After his counterparts in the other families take some serious beatings, Billy is forced to take a crash course from a noted teacher (Wong Chi-Ming) in North and South Eagle styles as well as Horsehead Fist. Only then is he able to confront each of the three Manchu fighters in their own styles in a series of dazzling bouts. The final battle, with lead villain Hau Sau Seng, is well worth waiting for.
There is a romantic subplot involving an attractive young woman (played by Liu An Li), also a fighter, who is set to marry Billy in an arranged marriage. The two haven't met and each is fearful of what they're in for. The girl decides to dress as a man to track down Billy and check him out for herself. She likes what she sees and keeps the charade going long after Billy has seen through the ruse and fallen for her himself. Unfortunately, this aspect of the film is never developed and the young woman is inexplicably dropped from the film long before the final fadeout.
Another problem with the film is the lack of any other charismatic stars or formidable villains. Although there are plenty of fight scenes, the only notable ones are those involving Billy, whose first real battle comes relatively late in the film. The plot and fight choreography are good enough to make us wish for a stronger cast with a few more familiar faces.
