“Daggers 8” Theatrical Poster
Director: Cheung Sam
Co-director: Wilson Tong
Starring: Meng Yuen-man, Wilson Tong, Lily Li, Peter Chan Lung, Alan Chui, Cheng Hong-yip, Chan Ming-Wai, Chen Yu-Wei, Billy Chan Wui-Ngai, Yeung Wah
Running Time: 90 min.
By Ian Whittle
What starts out as another kung fu comedy with slightly too irritating Dean Shek style tomfoolery suddenly turns into something much more complex and intelligent.
Meng Yuen-man (The Master Strikes) plays an impulsive kung fu fan who drives his grandfather up the wall with it. When his brother is killed in a duel, Meng runs away from home rather than agree to give up learning kung fu. As he travels across the country, he learns new styles from 3 masters, all of whom have a nasty habit of turning up dead…
I found Meng rather overbearing in Hell’s Windstaff but he’s better here, and his acrobatic skills are astounding – sadly his career would end following a heart attack. Peter Chan Lung (Deadful Melody) makes for a fun master of cooking and kung fu, to the point where you actually miss him once he’s gone. Lily Li (Crazy Couple) is also very much at her best, demonstrating very good flexibility and she looks convincing in the powerful fights.
Wilson Tong (Martial Club) as the assassin is definitely the highlight of the movie, looking pretty awesome with his black robes and manga-like hairstyle. He even manages to survive the bizarre goofy dubbing of Rick Thomas – and let’s be honest, how can you mess up a line like “I want some funeral noodles…for you, to take down to hell!”
I sort of figured out the twist ending part way through, and was pleased when I was right! And it seems there is another subtle twist, almost invisible, that has some tragic overtones. And no, I’m not going to spoil it…
Ian Whittle’s Rating: 8/10
