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Tough Guys" is a new release of the 1974 Shaw
Brothers film directed by Pao Hsueh-li, best known
for his work on "The Water Margin" and
"Boxer from Shantung", both of which he
co-directed with the legendary Chang Cheh
("The Five Venoms"). "Five Tough
Guys" is one of the studio's rare efforts,
taking place in modern times, though quite
obviously using the same old sets which will be
instantly recognisable to fans of the studio.
The plot follows the titular
gang of misfits, gathered together by Chen Kuan
Tai (a real life martial arts champion who starred
in many films for the studio) in order to protect
a patriotic general from a scheming usurper. To
this end, the unlikely heroes act as the general's
escorts on a dangerous journey to a distant
British consulate, beset by enemies and sinister
Japanese interference along the way.
Although the film is fairly
short, the story does feel stretched a little
thin, mainly as the espionage is largely confined
to the first few scenes, with the rest of the
running time being occupied by extended brawling.
Similarly, the plot progression is often a little
hazy, with characters and their enemies
conveniently ending up in the same time at the
same place, despite the fact that they are
supposed to be engaged in a cross country chase.
Although this is a fairly minor criticism for a
film whose purpose is to entertain through martial
arts action, it does drag things down somewhat,
and prevents it from being truly gripping. This is
a real shame, as the story is genuinely
interesting, and certainly has the potential to
make for a more epic, inspiring tale of heroism.
The five tough guys
themselves are not particularly well drawn
characters, which is a little strange for a film
which at times seems to be styling itself as a
gimmicky "Five Venoms" type piece and
which features such a wealth of martial arts
talent. In fact, the only one who really stands
out is the fat guy, whose constant demands that
the operation be a good advertisement for his
'security company' are very funny. Beyond this,
the tough guys are little more than the usual
righteous fighters, and though their cause is just
and they have the requisite dastardly villains to
battle, the viewer never becomes emotionally
involved in their struggle.
Of course, the film's main
concern is its action, and on this level it
certainly delivers some great fight scenes. Though
Pao Hsueh-li's direction is quite basic and the
choreography is above average, with some clever
editing adding extra impact and giving the film a
more realistic feel. The final scene, in which the
gang take on a huge, bestial Japanese brute is
particularly exciting and makes for rousing
viewing. Chen Kuan Tai is on good form in one of
his early films, and shows some of the skills
which would make him one of the studio's most
enduring stars.
Overall, "Five Tough
Guys" is an enjoyable, though not hugely
memorable Shaw Brothers release. Despite boasting
some impressive melees, and largely managing to
tick all the boxes on the martial arts film
checklist, it remains a fairly generic effort, and
one which is most likely to appeal only to fans of
the studio's output.
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