In his effort to destroy all rival stick fighters, Lu Tai-yeh (Chang Yi) and his accomplices challenge the Chen School, while its’ heir (Don Wong) struggles to overcome years of neglected training.

In order to stand out from the enormous throng of old school kung fu, filmmakers would often focus on some gimmick to market their product. In the case of Shaolin Invincible Sticks, the title says it all. The film’s action is made up by almost exclusively stick fighting. For a genre oversaturated with swordplay, this is great news for fans of weapons combat. Just about every size and style of stick and pole make an appearance. Don Wong and Chang Yi excel in their weapons handling and many of the fight scenes are quite good, if a tad generic at times. It is a pity that the usually accomplished Lee Tso-nam allows obnoxious characters and ill-pacing to disrupt the proceedings.

Don Wong steps into the role of a prodigal son named Chen Ku-yung who is raised by three uncles after his father, a famous stick-fighting master passed away. Word comes to the family that a vicious fighter named Lu Tai-yeh (Chang Yi) is systematically killing off all rival stick fighters. The trio realizes that they have spoiled Chen, who has not taken his training seriously. They kick him out of the school for his own good and he’s forced to fend for himself. Chen befriends another stick fighter (Kam Kong) and helps his friend’s family establish a kung fu school, but is ultimately kicked out again. After reuniting with his faithful servant, Chen finds work at an inn just as Lu and his gang of thugs arrives in town to challenge his friend’s new school. Chen attempts to aid them, but he’s defeated and retreats for further training. As Lu descends on the Chen School, Chen and his friends rush to stop them.

Besides featuring a lot of decent stick fighting under the guidance of Tommy Lee, director Lee Tso-nam does not squander his featured stars. Don Wong is front and center throughout the film. Early on, he isn’t too convincing as a spoiled rich kid. But once he’s left out in the cold, he settles into a more appropriate guise for his aggressive and rough-edged kung fu exhibitions. Don is better known for his dynamic and powerful open-handed forms, but he does quite well with pole work. In contrast, Chang Yi is the epitome of an austere and cunning kung fu master. Of course, wearing long white hair usually helps. A few of his stick fighting routines are outstanding as he seems more comfortable using the pole. Most of the poles are more flexible than they may appear, but it is a wonder that more teeth didn’t get knocked out in some of these long, uninterrupted exchanges. I say more teeth because a few of the supporting cast are noticeably missing teeth with one older gentleman nearly toothless. Ha Kwong-li is a little out of place in this film since her best skill is leg work, which was featured more prominently in Invincible Kung Fu Legs (1980). Kam Kong plays the burly sidekick role well enough, but with his intimidating looks and muscled build, he seems a bit out of character.

The one person this film could have done without is Li Teng-tsai. He’s a poster child for the traditional Cantonese comedy stereotype with his bug-eyes, boney frame, and enlarged head. This is all tolerable, but his onboxious antics as a spoiled-rotten son of a kung fu instructor are painfully hideous to behold and to hear. The only saving grace is his father’s hilarious dying words to him where he repeatedly calls his son a fool.

Shaolin Invisible Sticks ultimately fails to live up the standards set by Lee Tso-lam in previous hits starring his favorite actor, Don Wong. The comedy elements are mostly annoying. The storyline and much of the kung fu choreography is routine. But the feature has its moments. The end fight between Wong and Chang in a bamboo grove is particularly fierce and frantic and the lead actors’ performances overall are worth checking out.

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