When Sammo Hung first put on his directing shoes in the late '70s/early '80s, it seemed he could do no wrong. Churning out a string of low-budget kung fu classics like MAGNIFICENT BUTCHER, ENCOUNTERS OF THE SPOOKY KIND, and KNOCKABOUT, he proved to be a natural behind the camera as well as in front of it. I'm pleased to say that THE VICTIM follows in this quality tradition, sitting up there with the others as a high-ranking kung fu minor classic that proves to be endlessly rewatchable and utterly engaging.
The storyline is a typical Hung mix of drama, laughs, and action, with the emphasis very much on the latter ingredient. Sammo himself stars as a bumbling martial artist who becomes fixated with Leung's stoic kung fu master. The comedy is very much in the Chinese tradition, full of slapstick and bizarre, outlandish, cross-eyed characters. One of the weirdest moments is a showdown in a bathhouse, in which Sammo beats the heck out of a bunch of butt-naked Chinese guys, which I still can't quite believe happened.
Much of the plot is taken up with the relationship between Sammo and Kar Lan Leung, the latter playing a taciturn and morose hero who is only spurred into action in the last half hour of the movie. Until then, there are many light-hearted battles, full of great acrobatics and feats of agility. The kung fu is old school but it's something I'll never get tired of watching. Power punches, weapon play, high kicking and scenery smashing – this is kung fu as it should be seen, and THE VICTIM has a greater focus on action than just about any other martial arts film I can think of right now. Yuen Biao doubles in many of the fights and his athletic influence is felt as a whole, making the action scenes just about unbeatable.
As with many of these movies, things become more serious (and bloody!) in the last half an hour, which leads to the expected showdown between Leung and his one-eyed brother. As you might guess, this is an extended and violent battle that seems to go on forever but which never drags – instead it's riveting for every second. The last twenty minutes of the film also has many plot twists involving Sammo's character, some of which are a little over the top, but it's par for the course in a Chinese movie like this. Minor roles for many familiar faces in Hong Kong cinema – Lam Ching-Ying, Karl Maka, Billy Chan and Wilson Tong – only add to the experience as a whole. THE VICTIM is a kung fu fan's kung fu flick, offering a ton of fights, an interesting and complex storyline and plenty of laughs along the way. The result is great viewing experience that is only just topped by the other three films mentioned at the beginning of this review.
The storyline is a typical Hung mix of drama, laughs, and action, with the emphasis very much on the latter ingredient. Sammo himself stars as a bumbling martial artist who becomes fixated with Leung's stoic kung fu master. The comedy is very much in the Chinese tradition, full of slapstick and bizarre, outlandish, cross-eyed characters. One of the weirdest moments is a showdown in a bathhouse, in which Sammo beats the heck out of a bunch of butt-naked Chinese guys, which I still can't quite believe happened.
Much of the plot is taken up with the relationship between Sammo and Kar Lan Leung, the latter playing a taciturn and morose hero who is only spurred into action in the last half hour of the movie. Until then, there are many light-hearted battles, full of great acrobatics and feats of agility. The kung fu is old school but it's something I'll never get tired of watching. Power punches, weapon play, high kicking and scenery smashing – this is kung fu as it should be seen, and THE VICTIM has a greater focus on action than just about any other martial arts film I can think of right now. Yuen Biao doubles in many of the fights and his athletic influence is felt as a whole, making the action scenes just about unbeatable.
As with many of these movies, things become more serious (and bloody!) in the last half an hour, which leads to the expected showdown between Leung and his one-eyed brother. As you might guess, this is an extended and violent battle that seems to go on forever but which never drags – instead it's riveting for every second. The last twenty minutes of the film also has many plot twists involving Sammo's character, some of which are a little over the top, but it's par for the course in a Chinese movie like this. Minor roles for many familiar faces in Hong Kong cinema – Lam Ching-Ying, Karl Maka, Billy Chan and Wilson Tong – only add to the experience as a whole. THE VICTIM is a kung fu fan's kung fu flick, offering a ton of fights, an interesting and complex storyline and plenty of laughs along the way. The result is great viewing experience that is only just topped by the other three films mentioned at the beginning of this review.