La vengeance de l'aigle de Shaolin

Sun Chung's AVENGING EAGLE is a martial arts film that transcends the genre; it boasts a superior script and characterization, and achieves a tragic quality of its own.

The Shaw Bros. studio churned out a lot of martial arts films in its 25 year heyday. AVENGING EAGLE is one of the most memorable that I have seen. The script takes the viewer back and forth in time, the flashbacks allow the viewer to discover more and more about its two protagonists (played by TI LUNG and Alexander FU SHENG). So interwined are their pasts that it is quickly obvious that they should actually be each other's enemy. But the logic is such that we can also readily accept that they put aside their differences, eliminate as many of the Iron Boat clan sent in pursuit of TI LUNG's character, and finally, take on the evil leader of the clan (KU FENG).

I found the dialogue especially good and satisfying, and I am sure that others who have seen the film, can think of at least four or five instances, whether the dialogue demonstrates wonderful irony, quiet sadness, and ensures the two heroes display real qualities of heroism.

SUN CHUNG and his crew show a wonderful eye for their locations, the exotic and distinctive costuming and weaponry (of the heroes, and also the thirteen Eagles, and of course, their leader).

With the opening shot, it was obvious this film was photographed away from the usual locations. That, the initial meeting of the two leads, their first skirmish with the Iron Boat gang, and much later, the remote inn that they 'rent' for a month to set up an elaborate ambush, and lastly, the lair of the gang, where SUN builds up to and sustains a lengthy climax, demonstrates a lot of imagination.

Even the music is effective, despite the mono sound of the Region 3 IVL/Celestial Pictures DVD, and is largely 'original'> This film is so good that I have not even broached the subject of its martial arts. And that alone, I believe, is reason enough that I consider AVENGING EAGLE one of the best martial arts films I have seen.

(PS: Consider a quarter century later the Japanese were making films along the same line, ie. AZUMI, which surely lacks the economy of this film, running almost an hour longer).

(PSS: I enjoyed the other contributors' comments on AVENGING EAGLE, surely more confirmation, this film deserves repeated viewing).

(PSSS: If you enjoyed this film, please take the time to track down and watch KILLER CONSTABLE).

Another really well-done Shaw epic from director Sun Chung. This one has Ti Lung and Fu Sheng teaming up as they tackle the all-star team of bad guys headed by Ku Feng in a classic role. You get the likes of Wang Lung Wei, Dick Wei and Eddy Ko as the professional assassins and inevitably the action is superior. Lung does the brooding hero part so well by this stage while Fu Sheng starts out goofy but reveals a dark back story later on. The momentum builds to a vibrant and bloody climax in Feng's lair, and it's not to be missed.

Two strangers—one seeking revenge, the other looking for redemption—join forces to defeat a common enemy, the Iron Boat Clan, a gang of bloodthirsty bandits raised from childhood by the cruel overlord Yoh Xi-hung (Feng Ku). As the two men (brilliantly played by tragic star Alexander Fu Sheng and martial arts legend Ti Lung) fight side by side, they form an unlikely friendship, but when they finally face their ultimate foe, the despicable Yoh Xi Hung, the tragedy that connects them threatens to divide them.

An epic tale of love, revenge, absolution, camaraderie, and intertwined destinies, The Avenging Eagle is classic Shaw Brothers storytelling, told with the utmost skill and style by director Chung Sun, who delivers a visually stunning and throughly engaging masterpiece. Sun also proves to be no slouch when it comes to capturing awesome fight action: featuring an incredible raft of villains, each adept at a different weapon (including spears, rings, axes, swords, and metal claws), this marvellous martial arts spectacular delivers some of the most entertaining fight scenes I've seen in an old-school kung fu movie, with incredible stunts, impressive acrobatics and brutal violence galore, all leading up to a fantastic finale in Yoh Xi Hung's HQ that sees our 'heroes' duking it out with numerous henchmen on their way to the top man, including a duel with a pair of deadly one-armed bandits (the human kind, not the fruit machine variety).

I love this movie more for the truisms it presents regarding the heart of a man as well as for the wonderful kung fu it represents. The main character displays a depth of emotion that is not often seen in this genre managing to convey in word and memory induced vignettes the tragedy of his life, the wrongs he has committed to survive and his sorrow at what he has become. The man he has wronged is also compelling in that instead of exacting quick revenge as we see with other martial arts films he wants to know his families murderer to find out why he killed them. The ultimate protagonist and leader of the Eagles is also good but more in line with other kung fu baddies than as a truly original character. I would recommend this movie because it manages to tell a story of vengeance and human frailty without sacrificing either of them.

The Avenging Eagle is a nearly flawless Kung Fu flick that has tight direction, great looking sets, great storytelling, great characters, as well as fantastic fight choreography and acting. The film is top tier in pretty much every regard and the leading man Ti Lung won The Golden Horse award for his performance here. Ti Lung is a former member of a gang of assassin's called The 13 Cold Blooded Eagles which is made up of orphans that are trained from childhood to be cold blooded killers. Ti Lung eventually grew tired of the killing and left the group. He is joined by a wandering man with excellent Kung Fu skills (Fu Sheng) and together they find an alliance and team up against The 13 Cold Blooded Eagles. There is pretty much non stop fighting, but never at the expense of the story with just as much dialogue to develop the characters and story. This is one minor flaw of the film as it is a lot to take in on one sitting. But once you watch it again, you put together the nuances missed from the 1st viewing. Shaw Bros studios was on top of their game at this period with many, rich, high quality productions. The Avenging Eagle is no exception to this and director Sun Chung made an impressive Kung Fu classic that really holds up.