Cinematheque Ontario Report: King Boxer REVIEW

I think I’ll return to the idea that this was probably the first Kung Fu film a whole generation saw. Seeing this film in 1973 with no idea what you were in for was probably mind blowing, as it’s still an incredibly visceral and exciting piece of cinema today.

Refreshingly light on exposition but still featuring plenty of depth in its plot, King Boxer features Malaysian actor Lo Lieh as Chao Chih-hao, urged by his elderly master to learn at a famous school. Of course, at the new school his abilities are deemed too low, but working his way up from the kitchens he becomes involved in the warfare between his school and the transparently evil school run by Meng Dung Shan (played by Tien Feng). Along the way to his eventual victory against the forces of evil there are love interests, the secret knowledge of the Iron Palm (hence the title for the west, ‘Five Fingers of Death’), jealous rivals and evil Japanese assassins. Oh, and a hell of a lot of awesome kung fu.

Watching King Boxer you probably aren’t going to be as amazed by the kung fu as you would have been in 1973, but it does feature some fine, memorable moments during its fight scenes, reaching a pinnacle with the climactic battle. I was never less than on the edge of my seat when watching the film, though, as the action is fast and furious without even a moment for the film to even think about becoming boring.

Lo Lieh is also a charismatic lead, exuding a kind of quiet, measured confidence in a way that not only colors his characterization but also his fighting style. Other actors can’t match his screen presence, but I really thought the leader of Chao Chih-hao’s school, Sifu Shen Shin Pei, looked exactly like Meryl Streep, if she was an old bearded Chinese dude. It was just something about his eyes. Think about that when you watch it.

King Boxer is a fine film, even ignoring it’s importance to the history of kung fu films, but because of that importance, I’d argue this is essential viewing for any student of cinema. Thanks to it’s quick pace and exciting fights it is also an excellent introduction to kung fu, and in particular the work of the Shaw Brothers’ studio.

A newly restored King Boxer is being by Cinematheque Ontario as part of their Heroic Grace series at Jackman Hall, Art Gallery of Ontario, 317 Dundas West, Toronto on Friday June 2nd at 8:45pm. If you can’t make it out, or you don’t live in Toronto, it can be purchased at YesAsia.