Friday, October 27, 2017

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Based on one of China's enduring epic novels, written in the 14th century, "All Men Are Brothers" continues the patriotic story of righteous warriors battling despotic leaders, featuring mythic characters familiar to every Chinese, and with a cast that has achieved an equally celebrated status among Shaw Brothers devotees: Ti Lung, David Chiang, Chen Kuan-tai and Danny Lee.

ALL MEN ARE BROTHERS, the second half of THE WATER MARGIN (aka SEVEN BLOWS OF THE DRAGON), offers less exposition than its prequel, but still boasts some good ensemble acting 'midst the political intrigue and an even higher body count. Repeated aquatic assaults on a seaside fortress (where undersea nets rigged with bells alert the villains when the heroes attempt a sneak attack) account for some of the mayhem, but it's the gory hand-to-hand combat on land that takes the greatest toll as, one by one, the fabled fighters fall. Chang Che never made a movie I didn't like (at least, not that I know of) and the pristine print now available (from the Dragon Dynasty collection, if I'm not mistaken) is picture Perfect. David Chiang, as "The Master of the Eighteen Tumbles," returns to mix it up with Yang Tze ("Bolo" from ENTER THE DRAGON) in one of the better fight scenes, but Ti Lung isn't on screen long enough to do very much (he literally fights with one arm tied behind his back in a genuinely shocking appearance near the end of the movie). One of the villains vows, early on, to "turn him and his men into an army of ghosts." It's a great line, and ALL MEN ARE BROTHERS lives up to its promise. Another spectacular Shaw Brothers spectacular.

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