Death Duel of Mantis (1978)

Death Duel of Mantis is just the sort of kung fu oldie to be easily overlooked with no big names attached and only poor quality prints available. But it would be a real shame if old school fans who enjoyed the likes of Jackie Chan’s Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow missed out on this gem packed with quality martial arts mayhem.

The story is the standard “master trains mischievous, yet promising youth for revenge” fare with a gawky, split-toothed Ting Wa-chung as the pupil Xiao Hai. He doesn’t possess the looks or charisma of a kung fu hero and this might explain his relatively short career, but Ting is able to break out the moves when it comes to acrobatics and animal-style kung fu forms. This is one of his few starring roles, including playing the title character in Monkey King with 72 Magic (1976). Death Duel’s featured styles are Mantis Fist and the less graceful Chicken Fist, along with a smattering of Eagle’s Claw. Xiao learns the Chicken Fist first from Lu, his master played by popular genre villain Lung Fei (Kung Pow! Enter the Fist). The style’s signature move is giving powerful backward jabs with the elbows. Lu wipes out a rival crime boss in this way. Though treated well and even promoted, Xiao finds his master’s criminal conduct distasteful. This is reinforced by a relationship he develops with a noodle stall owner (Mau Ging-shun) and his fiery-tempered daughter Ho Hwa (Kam Yin-fei). Xiao spends much of his free time vainly courting Ho who easily beats the tar out him every time. Eventually Ho and her father leave unannounced after a brawl with Lu’s men. It turns out that Ho Hwa’s mother was murdered by Lu and she and her father are plotting to get revenge, but their kung fu just isn’t good enough. Xiao finally has enough of Lu’s evil ways, turns on his own men, and joins Ho and her father in the country. Advanced training begins with Xiao learning Mantis Fist and Ho brushing up on her Eagle’s Claw. The primary use for Xiao’s Chicken Fist is to provide an example of Lu’s style for the trio to develop a method of defeating it. Lu eventually discovers their hideout and fighters face off.

The story isn’t any worse than most kung fu classics, but the characters are not particularly interesting. Ting must be one of the worst leads in kung fu history, with Hon Gwok-choi as a close second. He’s supposed to be enticing the lovely Kam Yin-fei with his bashful awkwardness, but I must agree with Kam when she just calls him “stupid.” While I did appreciate the slapstick fight between street vendors, most of the comedy in the film is forced and Ting’s shenanigans are the worst. Everyone else in the picture simply plays their characters straight.

Where the film scores big is on the kung fu fighting. Ting is acrobatic, while Lung Fei is moving around a lot more than I have seem him do and he does a lot of specific forms. Ting’s highpoint is doing a seemingly endless serious of spinning, aerial kicks. The virtually unknown Kam Yin-fei is the surprise hit. She does stylish forms and her own acrobatic flips. She projects more power and grace than any of her co-stars combined. Her best move is a spinning high kick, followed immediately by a spinning low kick that floors her opponent. It happens so fast that a rewind may be necessary. Apart from individual skills, the overall choreography is fast, creative, and engaging while retaining an element of authenticity. Whether made up or based on real forms, the movements are precise and clearly executed with unobtrusive camera work.

Average in most respects, Death Duel of Mantis barely overcomes a tiresome tale with great kung fu. Had Jackie Chan or even someone like Mang Fei starred, the film would have been hugely entertaining. That said, training sequences that make sense and Kam’s stellar action performance makes up for much of the negative factors.