If we're being honest, the dialogue is merely serviceable at best, and at no few points altogether hackneyed. In fairness this might reflect less on Hsin-Yi Chang's screenplay than it does on the language of the available dubbed version, and the dubbing itself isn't all that great. More certain is that while Yan-Chien Chuang's cinematography is dynamic and broadly admirable, there are some stylistic choices here that are needlessly over the top. In a similar vein, I don't agree that all the decisions of direction or editing were the best ones. The good news, however, is that setting these matters aside, this 1977 martial arts flick is suitably well made and duly entertaining. The story is nothing remarkable but is nonetheless enjoyable, an ably compelling tale of corrupt individuals ruling over a town and complicated characters with closely-held secrets; it could just as easily be reimagined as a western. The scene writing is terrific in the wide strokes - and anyway, as much as it advances the plot, it primarily serves as a vehicle for the action sequences that dominate these ninety minutes. That's why we're really here, after all, and if it's high-flying stunts and fancy fight choreography that you want, then 'The hot, the cool, and the vicious' absolutely delivers. Embellished with the anticipated sound effects and destruction of set pieces, all the glorious kung fu one could ask for is served well by the cinematography and editing that lets most every strike and blow be concretely visualized (in contrast with the all too common modern method of substituting swift shots and hard cuts for coordinated melee combat). Genuinely, if one is looking for a martial arts flick, there's no going wrong here.
Though the writing ranges from sufficient to modest, all the action more than makes up for any perceived deficiencies, and in every other regard this is splendidly well done. The sets look fantastic, not to mention costume design, hair, and makeup. The acting kind of just mostly fills the gaps between fight scenes, but the cast are capable enough to sell it. The filming locations are simply gorgeous, and Tso Nam Lee's direction is solid as it ties all the disparate pieces together. The end result is pretty much just what one would expect from most titles coming out of Hong Kong: not necessarily super special as to stand out in a crowd, but benefiting from strong, invigorating martial arts that outweigh weaknesses in what is generally appreciable craftsmanship. I don't think this is anything one needs to go out of their way to see, but if you're looking for just such a title, then it's definitely worth taking a look. 'The hot, the cool, and the vicious' may not be a singular exemplar, but it certainly illustrates the high level of quality we assume from like fare, and I'm happy to give it my hearty recommendation.
