Flying Guillotine 2 (1977)

In order to overcome fugitive Ma Teng’s Iron Umbrella and wipe out a band of rebels, Emperor Yung Cheng (Guk Fung) develops an even deadlier version of the Flying Guillotine and trains a squad of women led by Na Lan (Si Si), a woman who secretly plots to assassinate him.

The infamous flying guillotines are back and deadlier than ever in fierce fighting choreographed by Tong Gaai. Flying Guillotine II is the official sequel to Shaw Brothers The Flying Guillotine. It continues the story of a renegade member of the Emperor’s flying guillotine squad who is now a wanted fugitive. But the story expands into a full rebellion as a group of martial heroes plot to kill the Emperor and foil his attempts to put a modified guillotine to use. This time, actors get shuffled around, the action is hotter and the weapon of choice exhibits some new tricks.

Ti Lung takes over where Chen Kuan-tai left as Ma Teng, one of the original members of Emperor Yung Cheng’s secret squad of flying guillotine masters, trained for the sole purpose of beheading anyone the Emperor doesn’t fancy. Originally playing the guillotine’s creator, Guk Fung now assumes the role of the Emperor who is bound and determined to kill Ma. But the Emperor has bigger problems for a group of rebels are just as determined to assassinate him. They suffer several failed assassination attempts including a scheme to pose as Korean diplomats in hopes of stabbing the Emperor with poisonous daggers. Meanwhile, the Emperor orders the guillotines to be upgraded in order to overcome an Iron Umbrella developed by Ma in the first film to counter the guillotines. Faced with this new threat, the rebels steal the blueprints to the Death Star….I mean the advanced guillotines and have Ma work on a new method of countering them. As he labors, rebel Na Lan (Si Si) leads a group of women in a bold plan to infiltrate the Emperor’s guillotine squad during a recruitment session. She’s successful enough to become the squad’s new leader, but is forced to prove her loyalty by targeting her father and fellow rebels. The shrewd Emperor and his two leading henchmen (Lo Lieh and Frankie Wai Wang) eventually uncover the plot and a final struggle begins.

Flying Guillotine II is one sequel worthy of its predecessor. The strong character development and intrigue returns, while the action is seriously cranked up. But the emphasis on elaborate kung fu takes the series further away from the historical feel of part one. Another complaint would be the relegation of Ti Lung’s character to a supporting role. Also, while he does a fine job, for continuity it would have been nice had Chen Kuan-tai returned along with Lam Wai-tiu, who played his wife. Guk Fung’s rendition of the Emperor is less sophisticated than Kong Yeung’s portrayal and is made less plausible by his sudden mastery of the guillotine. Frankie Wai returns as another evil guillotine user, this time paired with Lo Lieh. The two are both excellent choices and a great, sexually-charged rivalry develops between them and Si Si. This actually reveals a refreshing touch of humor that pops up infrequently, as when one of Guk Fung’s ambitious ‘yes men’ opens his mouth at the wrong time.

It takes a little while to develop, but Si Si proves to be the film’s focal point and it’s well deserved. As one of the genre’s leading kung fu actresses, she is more than capable of holding her own against any man onscreen. She’s able to both fight magnificently and draw forth the most earnest emotions. Ti Lung eventually shows up to battle the villains in good form, but Si Si is the one to watch. Wong Chung also stands out as a rebel who makes several assassination attempts that includes some excellent sparring with Guk Fung.

The editing can be a little too choppy at times, but Tong Gaai gives the guillotine action some real zest. Now, users are able to twirl them above their heads like a lasso before unleashing them on their targets. Other tricks like the ability to roll them along the ground with sparks flying are nicely presented. The actual design has also improved slightly and looks sturdier and more ornate. I won’t spoil the fun of discovering what the advanced models are capable of, but this and Ti Lung’s counter weapon would be the envy of James Bond for their ingenuity. But again, the only problem here is the choppy editing which makes seeing how they work a little frustrating.

If not for minor editing issues and a scattered focus on the heroes, Flying Guilltoine II would be a picture-perfect kung fu classic. As is, Tong Gaai’s choreography and Si Si’s performance greatly enhance a terrific franchise with lots of spirited head-cleaving that should not have stopped here.