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Sammo Hung and Korean kicker Casanova Wong pair up as students of Wing Chun out to avenge the death of their master (Leung Ka-yan) in this kung fu action comedy from Golden Harvest that bristles with both authentic and invented martial arts training and fighting excellence. The film is loosely based on real Wing Chun history and has Leung portraying Wing Chun master Leung Jan and Wong portraying his student Chan Wah-shun. For relevance that brings us full circle, the real Chan taught Yip Man and Yip taught Bruce Lee who fought Sammo at the beginning of ENTER THE DRAGON. Yip was also famously portrayed by Donnie Yen in IP MAN and its sequel, which co-starred Sammo. In WARRIORS TWO, Sammo is “Fatty,” a bumbling student of Leung Jan who helps Chan become another pupil after he’s nearly beaten to death by men attempting to cover up a plan to help aging Master Mok (Fung Hark-on) take over the local town by killing off its headman. After putting Chan through extensive training, Leung Jan is ambushed by Mok’s men who use a series of dirty tricks to kill the Wing Chun master. They next target his school and only three of his students escape. In reprisal, Fatty, Chan and a woman named Kam Fung target Mok’s top fighters but are in for a couple of surprises, first when Fatty gets the baddies mixed up and later when Mok turns out to be more than the heroes bargained for. The film is something of an expanded redo of Sammo’s directing debut THE IRON-FISTED MONK. Both films possess simplistic revenge plots leading up to a group fight between heroes and villains but the action in WARRIORS TWO is a cut above. Sammo’s focus on authentic Wing Chun training and forms execution lends the action substance even while he indulges in exaggerated depictions of blade-deflecting Iron Shirt and Mantis styles. In addition to its talented leads, the film also boasts a first-rate cast of supporting screen fighters featuring Lee Hoi-sang and Lau Kar-wing. Although not directly related, Sammo’s other Wing Chun feature, THE PRODIGAL SON, makes a great companion film to this one.

REVIEW: Warriors Two (1978), 8.5 out of 10 based on 10 ratings Related Topics:
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  • Emil

    I really dont see how you can give this movie anything but five of out five. This is to me easily the best old school kung fu movie out there. Sure drunken master had greater value for the genre. Sure 36th chamber is more wellknown. But look at the movie isolated from al other factors, then none have the production quality, fights and feeling to it as warriors two.