In BEACH OF THE WAR GODS, an action-packed Hong Kong swordplay adventure from 1973, Jimmy Wang Yu rallies three fighters to help lead the men of a Chinese beach town in battle against the invading Japanese. One of the fighters is an expert knife thrower and comes with his own arsenal. It all leads quickly to a massive battle in the town streets. The swordfights are reminiscent of those found in Japanese samurai films, but with more action and vigor. (Interestingly, Wang Yu often made kung fu films with anti-Japanese themes, yet his films often reflected the influence of Japanese samurai films. This one, in particular, explicitly recalls Akira Kurosawa's SEVEN SAMURAI.)
The film could have used more buildup to the main battle, more training scenes, and more character development. After a simple setup, Wang Yu and company gather and prepare for battle. Then--boom!--the battle begins and lasts till the end of the film! The humble villagers we've met earlier are all now skilled uniformed fighters taking on hardened Japanese swordsmen with a range of sophisticated tactics. Action fans will love it, but those seeking a little more depth and substance may feel unsatisfied. Still, the impressive battle scenes are very well staged and photographed on a sprawling beach and a massive period backlot set. Wang Yu not only stars, but wrote and directed the film as well.
