Shi mei chu ma (1980) User Reviews

This is a very good movie.

[phillipbonner · 8/10 · 21 February 2004]

This is a very good movie. the storyline is common "revenge", the training sequences are good and the fighting techniques are very good as the level of skill increase with every fight. There are some twist that makes the movie more intriguing. All in all this one is very entertaining.

This movie is a must see. Trust me!

[Carolm-1 · 4 January 2002]

This is one of the best kung fu movies i've seen, and i've seen alot. Basically without going into alot of detail, the very beautiful Hsia Kwan Li is out for revenge. The reason why is she was raped, and her husband was killed by some villians. She is rescued by an old lady and learns kung fu from her(the dragon fist). She tracks down the villians one by one getting her revenge. Peng Kang is is the boss who is behind all the mischief. The finale between Hsia Kwan Li and Peng Kang is superb. Peng Kang has some of the best all around movement I have ever seen. Hsia Kwan Li is the baddest female figher that I know of, and I have seen quite a few. If you like kung fu movies, this is one movie you should have in your collection.

The Woman Avenger

[gorthu · 9/10 · 19 April 2009]

Ha Kwong Li stars as The Woman Avenger. She is walking down the road one day with her husband and they are robbed and her husband is killed. On top of that one of the men decides to have his way with her. Luckily he's quick (maybe 10 seconds!?) and she lives and meets a woman who teaches her the dragon fist. Now it's time for revenge. Standard kung fu story here, but a great directing job by Lee Tso Nan and also great fight scenes.

One thing I found odd about this movie is that it takes quite awhile to see some good fighting. The first major fight happens about 30 minutes in, and it's a decent fight, but not the great showdown I was expecting. But then the next major fight is extremely good. Ha Kwong Li's opponent starts out using his fists, then a sword, then 2 swords. The high level of movement going on between the 2 actors is truly incredible. It's amazing how they can come up with this great of a fight on an open plain. And then the next fight with Wong Chi Sang is even better. Make sure you have your finger ready to rewind. Peng Kong plays the gold haired villain and is also the fight choreographer, and once again he manages to come up with a unique technique and give an amazing performance like he did in The Leg Fighters. I haven't seen this movie in a few years and I decided to revisit it, and I must say that the fights are among the best I have ever seen The only other movie that I have seen where Ha Kwong Li has a leading role is in The Leg Fighters. She's good in Leg Fighter's, but this movie shows her full potential. Kicking is not the only thing she's good at. She has amazing flexibility and she is also pretty good with her hands.

The Wu Tang VHS is full screen (though not badly) and has decent picture quality. English dubbed.

Gender Defender...

[poe-48833 · 10/10 · 25 January 2016]

WOMAN AVENGER is another of director Tso Nam Lee's underrated gems. While his movies often lack the kind of budget the Shaw Brothers films boasted, his movies were more often than not VERY entertaining. WOMAN AVENGER begins with Miss Lo (Miss Li) and her husband enjoying a ride through the countryside when they're attacked. She's raped (in a badly edited sequence that leaves some question of actual rape until it's clearly revealed later) and her husband murdered. They are both left for dead, but an Abbess living in a cave finds her and nurses her back to health before teaching her Dragon Fist Kung Fu. Miss Lo ventures out into the world and promptly runs into a policeman who's been mortally wounded by a local gang. She promises the dying man she'll infiltrate the gang and does, using an unconvincing wig to "hide" the fact that she's female. Before you know it, members of the gang start disappearing. As in most of Tso Nam Lee's movies, the main villain (in this case, a Golden-haired Master named Wu Chi) is of more than passing interest, and comes across as genuinely Dangerous. Tso Nam Lee was what I call a "Dark Director" (his movies often feature or at least suggest something Supernatural) and WOMAN AVENGER features some topnotch action; balletic acrobatics and unbelievable kicking from Miss Li.

A corking kung fu tale of two women's love, betrayal and revenge.

[oldstylekungfu · 5 February 2002]

A fine tale of an abused woman's journey from near-death to kung fu expert, helped along the way by a merciful Abbess and a crippled orphan. Some of the costumes are in the same league as Lee Tsu Nam's other masterpiece, Shaolin vs. Lama (Shaolin dou La Ma), classic glittering ensembles. Plenty of great fight action as Hsia develops her style coupled with an intelligible story line full of old-favourite characters (eg weasel with squeeky voice and sticky plaster on forehead, supposed to be the "brains" of the gang). Totally unforgettable bad guy having a permanent bad hair day. Warning: anyone buying an ex-rental copy of this film in the UK, be careful. My first copy was on an 80min tape, which meant the last, and best, nine mins were missing. I agree with the previous reviewer, Carol- it's brilliant.

best female kickfighter

[jh773 · 7 February 2004]

Kwan-Li Shen truly demonstrates the best high-kicking fighting style of any martial arts actress. Her flexibility is unmatched and a beauty to behold. Her subsequent film, "Invincible Kung Fu Legs" also highlights her acrobatic fighting prowess.