It opens to a night scene, pursuit, a man is shot but escapes. He is helped by the monks and Gordon. He asks them for help because he carries a map showing the location of the attacking Japanese forces. After a fight involving guns, Gordon and group are off to deliver the map. Gordon ends up depending on Lau Kar-Wing and Eric Tsang and they are only in it for the money. They can't beat Gordon in a fight so they resort to their wits (also not a strength). Their plan involved hopping vampires.
There is an abrupt cut from the vampires at night to a daylight fight outside a restaurant. It is so abrupt I think there might be a few minutes of this movie missing. The scene is about a dinner invitation. Next all the heavies gather around a dinner table with their girls. They are dividing up territory. One of the Lau brothers and Lily Li are now in charge of finding Gordon and the map. (I can't tell the brothers apart except for the mole over the right eye of Lau Kar-Leung.) Gordon and the guys hide out with a family.
Guns are part of the time setting of this movie. I dislike when guns are involved in a martial arts movie. There are few believable ways to eliminate the gun in a fight scene so every fight must begin that way. It soon leads to the unbelievable ways to eliminate the gun. In this movie the gun adversely affects the final fight.
Eric Tsang has been in over 275 movies covering almost 45 years. His face and stature would seem to limit his range of roles yet this man has appeared in a truly limitless range of roles. He has been a stunt man, simpleton, shoe shine boy, fat lady, police chief and the leader of the triads. Yes, he even played James Bond. (2002 Golden Chicken)
My copy is VHS to digital file with the square picture and English dubbing.
The Lau brothers production company made four movies. The fight choreography in these movies was the best but the other elements that make up a good movie was lacking. Despite the shortcomings this movie still adds up to a fun experience for fans of martial arts movies from the golden age 1967-1984. I rate it slightly above average and recommend it for my fellow fans.
