Daniel C. M
Features one of the finest Kung Fu fights you will ever see and it's pretty entertaining in general. Very underrated.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
12/05/24
Full Review
DanTheMan 2
I've often seen The 8 Diagram Pole Fighter ranked as one of the Shaw Brothers' finest productions. Despite the troubled production that the film endured after the tragic loss of Alexander Fu Sheng, this swan song to the old-school martial arts epic is every bit as great as I'd ever hoped it would be. It captures the viewer's attention from the beginning, as it shifts from the introduction of an eerie prophecy to a scene of betrayal to the Battle of Jinsha, a delightfully surreal action sequence that was unquestionably filmed on a barebones Shaw Brothers soundstage, from the unbelievably choreographed, ferocious and opera-like opening battle scene to the teeth-ripping finale, everything in this film worked. The interwoven contemplation of Buddhist ethics gives the film a thematic hook that goes beyond the typical 3 stage revenge drama plot mechanics that typify many of these films, the extended debate operates as a thinly-veiled metaphor for the monks' position with the outside world. Themes of loyalty run throughout with revenge never far from the surface. This certainly ranks up there as one of Lau Kar-leung's best-directed films, even with the significant loss of Alexander Fu Sheng, the film rebounds well, the choreography is frequently fantastic and the ever-reliable Gordon Liu delivers an outstanding performance as the lone lead with Kara Hui in a welcome supporting role. Not all Shaw Brothers films are created equal, but The 8 Diagram Pole Fighter could very well be considered the staff bearer for the studio, it really is fantastic.
Rated 4.5/5 Stars •
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
11/30/24
Full Review
Audience Member
Alexander Fu Sheng was another in the line of martial arts actors who could have been the next Bruce Lee, yet he died unexpectedly in a car accident during the making of this movie.
Fight-choreographer-turned -director Lau Kar-leung (The 36th Chamber of Shaolin, Legendary Weapons of China, Challenge of the Masters) remade this film — based on the legendary Yang dynasty — as a tribute to the star and an attempt to make the most action-packed film possible.
As this was one of Shaw Brothers' final all-star martial arts epics before they ceased filmmaking altogether, The 8 Diagram Pole Fighter may be recognized as Lau's masterpiece, yet he made so many, it can be hard to select just one.
The Yang family patriarch and all of his children — except for Yeung Dak (Gordon Liu), Yeung Chiu (Fu Sheng) and Yeung Kei (Kara Hui) — have been murdered. Yeung Dak has given up the ways of violence and is studying at a monastery. When he learns that his sister has been taken by the same people who murdered his father, he must renounce the Buddhist way of life, taking notice once more of the physical world, and use the spear training to invent the 8 Diagram Pole Fighting style, which he can still practice inside the walls of the holy place.
If you value your teeth, this may be a tough watch. I've never seen more molars and incisors knocked out in a movie than this one. It's awesome, however, with stylish fights and big drama. It's sad that Fu Sheng is gone and would not be the hero of this film, but Gordon Liu has that certain something, an intangible quality that makes you notice him and say, "This is a star."
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
02/06/23
Full Review
Audience Member
Aunque más moralmente ambigua de lo habitual y con sus momentos se baratillo, El luchador invisible brilla en sus originales "action set pieces" con luz propia. Todo un disfrute.
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
01/29/23
Full Review
s r
Initially it started campy, over-choreographed, dramatized and repetitive. By the end though it more than made up for it with some great fight scenes that have definitely influenced the genre.
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
03/31/23
Full Review
Audience Member
Deadly poles against deadly foes.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
01/13/23
Full Review
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