REVIEW: Chinese Boxer, The (1970)

Before Bruce Lee became a superstar and before the kung fu movie genre exploded into a phenomenon, there was one-time swimming ace Jimmy Wang Yu, Shaw Brothers’ first “million dollar” star who helped to revitalize the swordplay genre by starring in Cheng Cheh’s ONE-ARMED SWORDSMAN. Three years later and with only a handful of movies under his belt, Wang Yu stepped out from the shadow of his mentor Chang Cheh to write, direct and star in the one movie that sparked Hong Kong’s kung fu movie boom in the ’70s.

THE CHINESE BOXER is hardly the greatest kung fu movie ever made, but it ably holds its place in film history as the first of its kind to mix stylized elements of Spaghetti Westerns and samurai flicks with hard, boxer-style kung fu. Jimmy Wang Yu was a bit of a rebel, both on and off screen, who possessed a unique vision for how kung fu should be seen on screen. But it just so happens that Bruce Lee came on the scene at rival studio Golden Harvest with a similarly unique vision of emphasizing the power of kung fu, yet while possessing far greater charisma, a Hollywood-level of professionalism and real martial arts skill to back it up. Although Lee’s career as a kung fu star was painfully short, his popularity was more than enough to unseat the non-martial arts-trained Wang Yu and leave him in a downward-spiraling career as the industry became dominated by more accomplished martial arts and stunt acting talent like Sammo Hung and Jackie Chan. That, however, does not diminish the significance of this movie.

The story in THE CHINESE BOXER of a kung fu student who avenges his master’s death at the hands of Japanese fighters is basically the prototype that was rehashed over and over during the boxer years that lasted up until Lau Kar-leung and Jackie Chan respectively turned audiences on to kung fu comedy. Even Bruce Lee’s first two films, written and directed by Lo Wei, follow Wang Yu’s lead.

In the movie, Wang Yu is a principled kung fu student who finds his world thrown asunder when a rival of his master returns with three Japanese karate masters (led by Lo Lieh) who possess no respect for life. They mercilessly kill or maim everyone in the school and leave Wang Yu wounded, in hiding and hungry for revenge. Unable to best their karate skills, Wang Yu recalls his master’s advice and begins training in the only known method of countering karate (within the movie that is), a combination of iron palm and light step kung fu. When the Japanese and their Chinese pal set up a crooked gambling hall and protection racket, Wang Yu dons a surgical mask and begins performing operations on baddies with his iron fists. Shuriken-tossing kendo experts are called in and Wang Yu battles his way through them and on to a showdown with the Japanese karate masters.

One thing Wang Yu and Cheng Cheh definitely share in common as filmmakers is a love of Spaghetti Westerns and samurai movies. THE CHINESE BOXER is filled with references to such fare with showdowns where knives and shuriken replace six-shooters. Likewise, dramatic camera angles and frequent use of perspective recall both genres and replace the static look of previous kung fu movies like the Huang Fei Hung serials starring Kwan Tak-hing. Chang Cheh had already introduced chambara-style bloodletting in his late-’60s wuxia films and Wang Yu taps into this as well with graphic, yet relatively unreal scenes of eye gouging and fist punctures to the chest. It’s all fun stuff, a little crude, but entertaining nevertheless.

Wang Yu delivers a couple of other elements to the kung fu action, neither of which lasted long in the drive towards more comical and elaborately theatrical screen fighting. One is punk attitude and the other is single death-dealing or debilitating strikes. Wang Yu further refined the former once free of Shaw Brothers in more outrageous and campy movies like the sequel RETURN OF THE CHINESE BOXER and the cult classic MASTER OF THE FLYING GUILLOTINE.

THE CHINESE BOXER is actually somewhat uneven in this regard. It starts out more traditional and then hits you with an eye-opener as Lo Lieh makes his entrance and literally goes through the roof. Later, there is a brief yet raunchy rape scene and several memorable fight sequences, one of which sees Wang Yu fighting a room full of thugs simultaneously and another where he’s performing a little deforestation with his iron fists. Stylistically, it definitely has a different vibe from your standard Shaw Brothers martial arts movie, but is still not full-on Jimmy Wang Yu goodness as we see him in his independent films.

Wang Yu’s training sequences are very short and disappointing compared with the many elaborate training scenes found in subsequent kung fu movies. He also unleashes rather weak-looking moves that get by on Tang Chia’s inventive choreography and the fancy camera moves and editing. Wang Yu was never a strong screen fighter despite being heralded as the first kung fu movie superstar after this film was released. Yet he has his own style that works well enough on a different level.

Like FIST OF FURY and KING BOXER, THE CHINESE BOXER is a classic kung fu movie essential. Its influence on the aforementioned kung fu movies and all that followed is undeniable. It’s required viewing for any serious student of the genre. Even on its own merit, apart from its place in Hong Kong’s movie history, the movie contains excessively violent and slightly fantastic martial arts action and offbeat attitude sure to please cult movie tastes.