Filmfandave

A fearful and ruthless crime syndicate known as the Qi Sha clan is terrorizing towns across the Chinese empire. For years, the townspeople have been living in escalating fear under their ominous reign. The syndicate is controlled by Seven Chiefs that rule their own separate territory, and is infamous for their atrocities. Not wanting to yield to the clan's rampant terror, the Government assigns the Minister of Crime Investigation Department to destroy them.

Realizing that he is up against a callous syndicate of assassins and as the mysterious leader of the organized gang has yet to be revealed, the Minister devises a plan to wipe out the gang from "within" by infiltrating his spy, whose identity is as enigmatic as the leader of the syndicate, into the Qi Sha clan.

A few days after three of the Qi Sha Chiefs are killed in a confrontation with the Minister's agents and for reason of gaining control over their expanded territories, the mysterious syndicate leader instates three new chiefs from their hordes of loyal followers: as Chief Number Six is Liang Jie - a short-tempered muscular fighter that uses his hulking set of brass bangles on his arms to maim or kill his opponents; as Chief Number Seven is Lu Yi Fei - a killer who wields a massive circular saw blade hidden in his broad farmer's hat; and Chief Number Eight is Fan Tao - a cold-blooded bare-chested killer donning a black cape who keeps his double steel knives in his scabbards tied around his waist.

Following the initiation of the three new Chiefs, predicaments surface that jeopardize a vital mission the Seven Chiefs undertake, leading to their killing one of their own for accusation of treachery. The matter becomes complicated when the situation repeats itself and the remaining Chiefs begin to suspect one another as traitors.

Haunted by internal conflicts among themselves, one by one, the Chiefs are killed in gruesome ways by their own members. With the Qi Sha chiefs dwindling in number, it is only a matter of time before the mastermind must reveal his identity, and the spy must confront the mysterious mastermind in a duel-to-the-death showdown.

To Kill A Mastermind, despite its title, is more of an action-oriented wuxia film with unique characters playing the assassins and stylishly choreographed weapon fights than a complex, plot-driven one.

If you have seen and liked Sun Chung's other action-oriented Shaw Brothers wuxia films, you'll likely enjoy this too! Fans are still hoping for an official release on DVD or Blu-ray!

I've always remembered this as a cool 3D sci-fi adventure, just like other 3D movies of the 80's: Parasite, Comin' At Ya, Treasure of the Four Crowns, Jaws 3D, and Amityville 3D.

A roving lone ranger on a post-apocalyptic Earth named Dogen (Jeffrey Byron) finds a lovely young woman Dhyana (Kelly Preston) alone and terrified outside a mining cave. After knowing that her father, a scientist, was killed by a raving mutant named Baal, he vows to avenge her father's death. So, who is Jared Syn and why must he be destroyed?

It turns out that Syn (Mike Preston) is the father of Baal, and he is some sort of a messiah-like priest who is planning to control the surviving nomadic tribes that roam the barren wastelands and enslave them. Not being able to locate this mysterious messiah, Dogen seeks the help of a down-and-out alcoholic mercenary Rhodes (Tim Thomerson – TRANCERS, ZONE TROOPERS), who happens to know Syn's whereabouts. Together they seek for a mask that will help them find and destroy Jared Syn.

While watching this post-apocalyptic yarn, I can't help but think of STAR WARS and THE ROAD WARRIOR. The film has elements of those two films blended into one with some 3D effects thrown in, and the outcome is you get a fun low budget sci-fi adventure. Despite its low budget nature, the character make-up effects (like those of Baal's) are surprisingly cool, just like what you see in STAR WARS, and the 3D effects look neat too even though many shown are just characters or objects pointing at the screen. Then, there is also this rousing "super-hero-like" musical score that plays every time the action scenes start. However, the ending will leave you rather disappointed.

I've always admired the Band family (Albert, Richard, and Charles) for their creativity as a producer, composer or director, especially their short-lived Empire Pictures productions. There are always some things unique about their low budget films, and this is one of them.

For undemanding viewers looking for old school 3D flicks, especially those who love 80's B-movie sci-fi adventure, METALSTORM: THE DESTRUCTION OF JARED SYN comes recommended.

THE HUMANOID tells the story of two brothers of noble titles, one good named the Great Brother; the other evil, who are fighting against each other to become the sole ruler of planet Metropolis. The evil brother Graal (Ivan Rassimov) gets the support of the insane Dr. Kraspin (Arthur Kennedy) to create a new army of invincible soldiers called humanoids. To prove that his chemical invention really works, the doctor tests it on the pilot Golob (Richard Kiel), an unsuspecting human from another planet whose plane happens to land on the deserts of Metropolis. Golob is turned – in a very ridiculous way – into an indestructible soldier that doesn't speak but possesses superhuman strength and lives under the doctor's control. Commanded by the evil Graal, Golob charges into the city where the Great Brother lives to kill him. When Golob's brain-washed mind is neutralized by a little oriental sage living in the city named Tom Tom, he turns side and befriends everyone, including the person he is assigned to kill. Heading back to Graal's headquarter to destroy him, Golob leads his band of new ally. Following a decisive battle that destroys Grall and the doctor, Golob regains his human side and reacquires his speech. With his newly-befriended comrades, he decides to live on the planet, which is then called Earth (no more Metropolis as that's what shown on screen!).

That is not the whole story, there are other characters and subplots that are not worth telling as they do not add anything to the main plot!

THE HUMANOID is a Star Wars copycat and a mega-waste of budget that doesn't have any of the elements that have made Star Wars a timeless classic. Here you see similarities that you see in Star Wars – from vehicles, places to characters: Star Destroyer (even following the exact sequence of how it is shown in Star Wars!), Land Speeder, laser guns that shoot red beams, lots of Darth Vader look-alike (since they are portrayed not only as the leader but also guards), Princess Leia wannabe (she's called Barbara and sexier), a kung fu fighting Luke Skywalker, a robot dog (a substitute for R2D2) and a little oriental Obi-Wan Kenobi! Even the opening sequences mimic those of Star Wars!

Richard Kiel's performance in "The Spy Who Loved Me" and "Moonraker" must have immensely impressed the producers that he was given a similar role here – doesn't speak, just snarls and looks dumb.

This cheesy Italian sci-fi yarn could have been a lot better. Sadly, it lacks the creativity that would have made it into a fun B-movie. The STAR WARS-inspired characters, vehicles, and scenes show lazy film-making. Adding insult to the injury, the plot and directing are as uninspired.

All in all, THE HUMANOID comes mildly recommended and is strictly for lovers of B-movies.