Kung Fu Executioner Film Review

At least in this dubbed version that perhaps played 42nd Street long ago, in the opening credits where the three main players show their chops with martial arts routines, black martial artist Carl Scott from America leads it off followed by Billy Chong and Chen Sing. I last saw Scott in his Hong Kong debut in Soul Brothers of Kung Fu from 1977. In the intervening four years, he had only been in one other film, Sun Dragon, but he clearly spent that time training. He is bulked up, more muscular, stronger and has the fierce Bruce Lee facial expressions down. In those days, being able to imitate Lee was lesson one.

But this is Chong's film. He is in numerable fights while Scott has a couple. And ex-Shaw star Chen Sing gets a few licks in. As the main villain of course. The film is 85 minutes with at least half of that taken up with fights. There is a plot though that might strike some as vaguely familiar. Chong as the youngest brother returns from his studies abroad to his family and friend Scott. As soon as they meet, Chong and Scott naturally start whacking one another. That is how you say, I missed you in the Martial World. The family business edges into the illegal, but not in an overtly vicious way. The father and older brother have decided to keep Chong out of the illegal side. Sounding familiar? Yes, The Godfather. Take out the action and you realize that The Godfather only needed to be 45 minutes long!

Another crime syndicate that includes a wicked and at one time fully nude female (Lan Yu-li), Japanese samurai, lots of minions and Chen Sing with his killer toy boy. Chen has broken out of prison and after taking revenge joins the gang as an enforcer. They want to start dealing in opium and need Chong's father who runs the ports to come in. He refuses. I guess we have to kill him, says one. This has the brother with a temper, the cousin who betrays the family, the hospital scene and Chong along with Scott deciding to wipe out the syndicate. Some decent if a bit rough choreography with Chong taking on five samurai with his nunchucks and then against Chen Sing. This was to be Scott's final film before returning to America and eventually opening his school.