True, it's not as if even the most celebrated, iconic names in Hong Kong cinema are perfect. The likes of Golden Harvest, and the Shaw Brothers, handily earned their reputation for martial arts flicks, but not all their works are equal. It's also true, though, that any like-minded fare from other purveyors is far less certain to measure up to our standards, and I think it's safe to say that we see some common weaknesses in this 80s feature. The editing, cinematography, and direction may raise a skeptical eyebrow at points in terms of the fundamental orchestration of shots and scenes, and sequencing; it may well be that the acting is also variable in quality. The writing can be less sure-footed still, struggling to effectively communicate the narrative (and establish characters and their relationships); if we're unfortunate enough to be watching a version with a dubbed language track, the overlaid voice acting ranges from mediocre to terrible. Suffice to say that whatever else is true, 'Five fingers of steel' isn't a premier exemplar of the kung fu film.
However, while this specific picture is troubled with some issues, including extra grainy image quality and sometimes muddled audio, as far as I'm concerned the fact also remains that it's noticeably stronger than some of its brethren. The voice acting isn't great, being less than ideally varied, dynamic, and emotive, but I've definitely heard much worse. Despite imperfect sound, I quite like the dramatic score we're provided, and the sound effects aren't outrageously exaggerated and cartoonish as in some other titles. The stunts, fight choreography, effects, and otherwise action sequences, broadly the top highlight in the genre, are all splendid, and do not suffer from choices of editing or camerawork that would uselessly chop them up. Some small instances in the writing are more flawed than others, including some decided directness, and in execution some moments don't come off as well, even if it's just a matter of being too drawn out. Nevertheless, happily this is surely an example of a martial arts movie that does a fairly good job of communicating its story, and it's one that goes a bit surprisingly dark at times. The plot is nothing ground-breaking in its transplanted echoes off the U. S. western, but it's solid, and that's more than I can say for some kindred works. Factor in excellent filming locations, sets, costume design, hair, makeup, props, weapons, and so on, and there is more strength than not here.
I think what it comes down to is that while 'Five fingers of steel' is no must-see, it also doesn't try to be, and it knows its limits. It may have its faults, but all involved demonstrate obvious skill, particularly when it comes to those essential stunts and fight scenes, and with this in mind, the only intent was to make a reasonably good flick - one that's a hair above average, even - within the bounds of what was feasible for these participants. Even those elements that share blame for to some degree diminishing the whole also have moments where they shine. This film won't be the one to change the minds of anyone who has a hard time engaging with the genre, or who is possibly encountering it for the first time, but anyone who has watched a decent cross-section of Hong Kong fare will readily recognize both where this iteration falls short, and where it distinctly succeeds more than some others. My expectations were mixed to low when I sat to watch, and I'm pleased to say that not only is the feature genuinely enjoyable, but it surpassed my expectations. I'm not saying you need to go out of your way to see it, and one should bear firmly in mind that it's no cinematic pinnacle, but if you appreciate martial arts pictures of the 70s and 80s and have the chance to check out 'Five fingers of steel,' then I'm glad to offer my hearty recommendation.
