Die Todesengel des Kung Fu

Before "Yes, Madam" (1985), "In The Line of Duty" (1986) and "Kill Bill" (2003), one of the best examples of the "Girls 'N Guns" genre movies was the little known action film "Deadly Angels" (AKA Bod Squad). This Shaw Brother's produced film at first glance seems to lend itself out to be a direct ripoff of the American TV show "Charlie's Angels". But unlike those angels, this trio of beautiful detectives were veritable "wild cats" who would savagely punch, kick and shoot their way out of any situation. The composition of the team was quite unique for the time and represented a diverse Asian mix (a HK Police Woman, A Japanese Undercover Cop and a Korean Security Agent). What also made these gals unique from their American counterparts were their skills. Not only were they experts with both conventional and "James Bond" inspired exotic weaponry (mini Crossbows, exploding earrings, spiked ball and chains) but these ladies were each a master at some different Martial Art skill. The gritty look and feel of the movie reminds me of Toei Studio's similar "Sister Street Fighter" (Onna Hissatsu Ken) movies (1973-1975) and the Japanese cult TV show "Playgirl" (1969) which also told the story of a group of capable female private investigators. The alluring Evelyn Kraft also makes an appearance as the leader of this group of girls, although we don't get to see very much of her in action. This was one of my favorite films as a kid and it is a shame that this film has not yet made it out on DVD. One can only hope that when it does, that this film will attract new fans and get the attention it so richly deserves.

Deadly Angels, also known as Qiao tan nu jiao wa, is a Hong Kong action film that straddles the line between martial arts and exploitation cinema. Directed by prolific filmmaker David E. Durston, it features three attractive female officers who go undercover to take down criminals. Here's what works and where the film stumbles:

Femme Fatales with Weapons: The three female agents-representing Hong Kong, Korea, and Japan-are experts in martial arts. Each wields a unique weapon, from spiked-ball maces to exploding earrings. The film's premise sets them up as unbeatable, but unfortunately, that perception doesn't hold throughout the entire movie.

Deadly Angels is an important film in the transition from traditional martial arts movies to the action-adventure genre that would dominate the 1980s. It blends violence, nudity, and sex, pushing boundaries for its time. Some scenes remain surprisingly timeless, as if they anticipated the future of action cinema.

While the film delivers on action, it falters in character development and consistency. The angels start strong, showcasing their fighting skills against male attackers. However, as the plot unfolds, their invincibility wavers. Perhaps the filmmakers wanted to humanize them, but it dilutes the impact of their initial ferocity.

One standout scene involves the Japanese agent, Liu Ping. She dispatches two attackers with grace and power, demonstrating her judo skills and high-heeled kicks. The film's mix of campiness and genuine action creates memorable moments, even if the overall narrative lacks cohesion.

In summary, Deadly Angels is a flawed yet entertaining entry in the martial arts and exploitation subgenres. If you're a fan of vintage Hong Kong action or appreciate seeing women kick butt, give it a watch. Just be prepared for some uneven storytelling along the way.

This has always been one of my favorite Shaw films. There is plenty of action, regardless of previous reviews... Of course, the best sequence is the finale... There are at least four fight sequences in between before the finale... as the story builds up.

The story is simple, a trio of female cops, along with a blonde bombshell Interpol agent attempt to stop a murderous gang of diamond theives. There is some nudity, not much but some and, as I stated before, plenty of action.

This movie has yet to be released in a remastered version... Celestial which owns the Shaw library still has not released this film as they have with the majority of the Shaw library... I don't know why. I've asked, but they simply say, in the works...

The only available version is a cropped, VHS english dubbed version with Greek subtitles... in the 84 minute uncut version. I believe there is an English version with no Greek subs available... but not sure. This is a hard to find, mega rare title... A definite collectors item for any Shaw fan...

Highly recommended!

A vicious gang of jewel thieves is operating in Hong Kong. Using a cabaret as a front they are smuggling jewels all over the orient, and leaving a trail of dead women who acted as couriers. After a jewel robbery leaves a good number of people dead a special all female unit is formed to see if it can get the goods on the robbers.

This Shaw Brothers film is a mess. First off other than the robbery and a training exercise there is really no action for the better part of an hour (if you've seen the trailer your seeing the training exercise and the final battle cut together). When the action finally happens its basically a few short fights followed by a very long battle that caps the film. Its all great stuff of the highest order, but by the time you encounter it its almost too little too late.

The film also makes very little sense outside of the gem smuggling central theme. There's a side story about one of the bad guys who's a knife throwing (as in on stage) sadist with the women but it really doesn't go anywhere. One of the police women is dating the son of the dead owner of the jewelry store that was robbed but that seems more like an after thought than anything real. By the time the final battle happens odds are you'll just be watching for the fights, I know I was.

This is only worth seeing if you come in in the middle since thats when all of the fighting starts. It will also give the illusion that the movie makes sense since you can assume you missed something (which you haven't).

For martial arts complete-ists only.

FYI- Two points to note, the trailer for this film seems to contain different footage from the film. It maybe the result of the print I saw which was dubbed into English and subtitled in Greek, but I didn't see anyone drive a motorcycle through a wall.

Secondly early on when the all female unit is formed we see several photographs of the dead couriers. One them is of a woman who is killed later in the movie by the knife wielding sadist.

An international gang of jewel thieves is hitting stores in Hong Kong and moving the merchandise through Japan and South Korea. An Interpol agent (blond, statuesque Evelyn Kraft) assembles three policewomen, one from Hong Kong, one from Tokyo, and one from Seoul to bring down the gang. The girls go undercover at a nightclub owned by the villains. The Hong Kong girl is to be the assistant to the knife thrower who performs at the club and who is the most deadly of the villains. This causes problems when her boyfriend (the son of one of the jewel store managers murdered by the gang) happens to show up at the club.

That is about it for plot. The rest of the film is set up for the action scenes. Another reviewer complained that Deadly Angels had slow stretches. This is true up to a point. As expected from the opening Shaw Brothers logo, Deadly Angels is clearly a 1970's kung-fu film rather than a 1980's action spectacular. The pacing reflects this. Firearms are used during the robbery scenes and the final assault on the villain's mansion (this latter treats the viewer to the image of Miss Kraft wielding a rocket launcher). The rest of the action consists of fighting. However, these are usually pretty good fight scenes. In fact, I thought the best action sequence was the Korean policewoman taking down the Seoul connection about twenty minutes or so before the climatic set piece.

How much entertainment one gets from Deadly Angels will depend on how much one likes to see pretty girls kicking butt. I liked the film. In fact, my only other complaint (aside from the slow bits) is that the reptile loving murderess does not have a fight scene.