Ten Brothers of Shaolin (1979)

A deposed Ming leader is on the run from Qing forces and it’s up to ten of Shaolin’s top fighters led by Chi-hong (Don Wong Tao) to escort him to safety.

If anyone were to ask, coming across a gem like Ten Brothers of Shaolin is why I watch and review countless bad kung fu movies, particularly from Taiwan. The truth is, if you know your ‘fu’ then seeing The Hot, The Cool and the Vicious alum Tommy Lee and Don Wong Tao on the credits, you should know you’re in for killer kung fu.

The plot is pure adventure packed with action as a Ming leader known as King Chu (Lau Lap-cho) is forced to leave Shaolin Temple and escape the closing grasp of Qing forces led by Kun Ting-ho (Chang Yi). Shaolin layman Chi-hong (Don Wong Tao) is charged with escorting him while nine of his fellow Shaolin brothers are sent out in disguise to run interference. Assisting is the lovely, but fierce Ming rebel Liu Shao-hua (Chia Ling). Ting-ho sends his forces out repeatedly and each time they fail to capture Chu. Even his top general, Tsao (Leung Kar-yan) and his own son are unable to succeed. But through a fluke, Chu is eventually captured and used as bait by Ting-ho to lure Chi-hong and his remaining brothers.

Within this sweet and simple story is ample opportunity for kung fu duels and they’re all good. What really separates action like this from mediocre fare as seen in the likes of Shaolin Monk Fights Back is something that’s difficult to explain, but easily apparent when viewed by even genre newbies. It comes down to kung fu choreography that is tightly edited (but not choppy), coveys real power, and is endlessly creative. Dong Wong Tao is the right man to tap for screen power and he makes a terrific lead as usual. The rest of the main cast features several equally strong performers who come close to making a ‘dream team’ for genre fans. In a change of pace, the great Phillip Ko Fei takes on a heroic role. Also starring is one of the the genre’s most popular stars, Leung Kar-yan, or “Beardy” as he is affectionately known by his fans. He plays a Qing general whose duels with both Wong Tao and Chia Ling are excellent. I absolutely must mention Stephen Tung Wai’s magnificent kung fu display. He plays Chang Yi’s son in the film and doesn’t get a lot of of scenes. But when he does, he enters the fray with elegance and precision by wielding a fan with great skill. Tung Wai may have eventually found his true calling directing action, but any chance to see him in early roles like this one is highly recommended.

Chia Ling deserves special mention. She’s one of the genre’s most enduring fighting female leads who weathered the male-dominated early ’70s boxer boom and consistently turned out strong performances in some of the better Taiwanese films. She’s in top form and finishes extremely strong with a wicked fight wielding a spear. After dispensing with a mob of baddies and polishing off Tung Wai in front of his father’s eyes, the whole film takes on a new dimension. Chang Yi has always been a solid villain in kung fu movies, but with the addition of being a grieving father out to avenge his son’s death he turns into a real villain with a real purpose. Watching the anger simmer under his sharp-angled face as he launches into an unstoppable attack against Chia Ling is awesome. Rest assured, she doesn’t hold on to that spear for long and he wields that thing like it was a mere toothpick. There is rarely a better lead in to a final fight than in this film. As villain, Chang Yi isn’t fighting for the Qing anymore, he’s fighting for his dead son and you know both Wong Tao and Ko Fei are going to have their work cut out in trying to put him down. The finale gets two enthusiastic thumbs up.

Ten Brothers of Shaolin rocks from start to finish and gets especially good in the final quarter. The only thing working against the film is the standard Shaolin versus Qing theme that has been covered to death. But a near perfect cast of genre veterans and an increasingly tense story, added to Tommy Lee’s kung fu excellence still makes this classic a must see for any old school fanatic.