Shao Lin jiang shi

Throw a low-budget movie together with some Chinese vampires, likable kung-fu master, psychedelic special-effects, a good-looking babe and some funny sidekicks and what do you get? If you're lucky, you end up with a classic like Mr. Vampire. If you're not lucky, you end up with Shaolin vs. Evil Dead.

It isn't that the movie is a low-budget piece of garbage that is totally convoluted and incomprehensible (far from it) the problem is that it suffers from the medium budget mediocrity of most straight to video or made for TV fantasy movies. Although it contains all of the aforementioned fun ingredients (kung-fu, zombies, babe etc.), it just doesn't contain enough of these elements in enough exciting or outlandish ways to be considered anything close to a cult classic. (So don't expect anything as funny as a Stephen Chow movie or as over the top as the real Evil Dead movies: both of those are in a class all their own.)

With that being said, I can say that I was fairly entertained for 90 minutes (it's always a treat to see Gordon Liu) and it makes for good Saturday Matinée popcorn movie fare: moving fast, and keeping up the comic book imagery. It is a fairly sincere attempt by the small cast and offers good character development if there ever is a part two.

And yes, the cut to the credits is ridiculously abrupt for no apparent reason. (Couldn't they have at least finished the current scene?) but other than this goof (which seems to be making many enemies of the film) it *does* come pretty close to delivering what it promises on the cover. It is after all named "Shaolin vs. Evil Dead".

Shaolin VS The Evil Dead is true to its title. Having Gordon Liu as a Shaolin monk as the lead is certainly not a bad idea either. This film is a hybrid of martial arts, horror and comedy. This magical brew certainly works with all the kung fu fighting, hopping vampires, black magic and tongue in cheek humor than you can shake a stick it. I thought this was done pretty well and it put a smile on my face. Gordon Liu has aged well and even though he is in his 70's is still in fighting form and doesn't look like he aged much since Master Killer.l Being entertained is something you can definitely take to the bank with Shaolin VS The Evil Dead.

Okay here is a movie where you wonder, what was the producer and director thinking. Gordon Liu is a superb actor, and Terry Fan is nothing short of great himself. I was going with the flow of this movie for the fact of the conditions the actors had to work in. The action was okay and the special effects where pretty decent. Even though this movie wasn't Grade A, I felt that it was okay..............................................

...........................That is until I saw the ending credits!!!!! What in the blue hell were the people thinking about. The 3min credit scene had action better than the whole movie, I mean awesome special effects and fighting. To find out that they were only test shots was a serious kick to the balls of every kung fu movie fan out there. I give this movie a 7. The credits gets a 9.1. If you get this movie and watch it, please by all means anticipate the ending credits.

STAR RATING: ***** The Works **** Just Misses the Mark *** That Little Bit In Between ** Lagging Behind * The Pits

Unsurprisingly, there's little in the way of a discernible plot to this slice of Hong Kong cinema- unfortunately there's also a distinct lack of exciting martial arts action too. Luckily, the unintentional comedy works wonders, such as the hilarious dubbing, a scene in which Gordon Liu asks a boy to urinate on the floor because he needs to use "virgin's pee", a scene in which he instructs his soldiers by using a rhyme that sounds like a high-school cheerleaders chant and a small child chasing after another boy calling him 'mummy' and covered in what is seemingly spunk. ***

This film has all the elements that can attract us: zombies, vampires, magic, amazing fights and a script that gives no respite. One of the protagonists has the ability to represent his son when he is older. There is no room for unbelief; when you think you've seen it all the Chinese grab a movie and with the same plot they do something inconceivable. Highly recommended film.