THE INHERITOR OF KUNG FU is an example of one of the cheap made-in-Taiwan movies that Ti Lung churned out after he split with the Shaw Brothers. It's a bizarre film all right, a historical adventure packed with undistinguished fight scenes and more than a few odd characters and situations. It's one of those films that feels like the writer just threw everything in, hoping that something would stick. Hardly a martial arts classic, then, but fans might find elements of interest hidden away in the otherwise routine narrative.
Lung is saddled with a very boring protagonist role in this and has little to do other than look stern; at least he continues to fight well. The Taiwanese sets look cheap and heavily stylised, although some of them do have quite an impact, particularly one of the snowbound scenes. The costumes are cheap looking and at one point the characters wander around in what appear to be dressing gowns.
A drunken beggar is involved in the plot, which involves your usual teaming up against political villains. One scene has Lung training with the metal rings beloved of the old Shaw Brothers movies. There's a ninja fight and a fiery attack on a house which is very well achieved on the low budget. At other times the story is incoherent and the lowbrow comedy an odd mix with the otherwise serious action. I'm not sure why computer noises were used to accompany flying characters either.
Things culminate in the film's obvious highlight, the ferocious five-way climax set on and around a waterfall of all places. Veteran actor John Ladalski (ARMOUR OF GOD) even makes an appearance here, randomly playing Poseidon or so I thought! It's mad stuff indeed, with intense fighting, explosives, and a random gang of bratty kids who use bubble mixture to blow bubbles and injure the villains! A crazy end to a film that it's rather difficult to make sense of.
Lung is saddled with a very boring protagonist role in this and has little to do other than look stern; at least he continues to fight well. The Taiwanese sets look cheap and heavily stylised, although some of them do have quite an impact, particularly one of the snowbound scenes. The costumes are cheap looking and at one point the characters wander around in what appear to be dressing gowns.
A drunken beggar is involved in the plot, which involves your usual teaming up against political villains. One scene has Lung training with the metal rings beloved of the old Shaw Brothers movies. There's a ninja fight and a fiery attack on a house which is very well achieved on the low budget. At other times the story is incoherent and the lowbrow comedy an odd mix with the otherwise serious action. I'm not sure why computer noises were used to accompany flying characters either.
Things culminate in the film's obvious highlight, the ferocious five-way climax set on and around a waterfall of all places. Veteran actor John Ladalski (ARMOUR OF GOD) even makes an appearance here, randomly playing Poseidon or so I thought! It's mad stuff indeed, with intense fighting, explosives, and a random gang of bratty kids who use bubble mixture to blow bubbles and injure the villains! A crazy end to a film that it's rather difficult to make sense of.