| Rage of the Master (1971 according to IMDB, 1972 according to HKMDB) |
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| Director: | Wang Hung Chang |
| Writers: | Not known |
| Starring: | Jimmy Wang Yu, Li Yi-Min and Chiao Chiao |
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The Plot: The film begins with a kung fu school being challenged by a former friend of the master. This “friend” trained with the master originally, and was put out of their school when he was reported for a serious indiscretion. However, he comes prepared to take on this kung fu school and have his revenge. He brings with him a collection of Thai boxers, who then quickly dispatch of all students. The master, before being surrounded, orders his daughter to leave the school and go out to find help. When she does just this, she reports to some family friends. Knowing that they have no martial skill, they instead think about local talents who may be able to help. The first name that pops into their mind is Tiger Wong (Jimmy Wang Yu), the son of a martial arts legend who was trained specifically by his father. The problem is, Tiger Wong’s mother holds him to a promise that was made to his dead father. Wong is never to show off his martial prowess, and instead must commit himself to a life of manual labor. Will they manage to talk Tiger Wong into helping them, despite his mother’s wishes? Or will these nefarious Thai boxers continue to dominate this small village. |
| The Review |
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It almost seems as if Jimmy Wang Yu refused to sign on for any project unless it featured a battle between multiple martial arts of some sort. This dominant theme wouldn’t be so unusual if this were a director that we are talking about, but it seems very peculiar for one actor to be featured in so many films that feature such similar content. It seems that Wang Yu simply became incredibly well known as the defender of Chinese kung fu during his prime. Although Rage of the Master only focuses on two different martial art styles (as opposed to the five or six that pop up in the One-Armed Boxer series), it manages to give a higher cinematic ceiling to show off the Muay Thai style. Unfortunately, the representation of Muay Thai isn’t as well done as in other Wang Yu films. Within the film, it seems as if Muay Thai is shown to lack power, and instead it seems as if it focuses highly on speedy jabs. Real Muay Thai, however, is obviously not distinguished in such a way. The art of eight limbs has never looked so ineffective… and yet it continually beats Chinese kung fu throughout the film.
| The Conclusion |
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