Chang Cheh made so many movies for Shaw Brothers that even now, I am discovering ones I've never heard of. Eventually, the curtains were pulled, the iconic Shaw Brothers anthem played and away we went. Back to a time of studio sets, wanton carnage and chivalry.
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Chen Deng (David Chiang) the local thief is caught again but the peaceful townsfolk cannot bring themselves to beat him and so instead tie him to a tree from which he easily escapes. Yau Guang (Wang Chung) is a travelling performer seeking somewhere to recuperate from his illness. When bandits arrive in town, they seek out the local blacksmith Wei Min-hui (Danny Lee) to break into the safe. As they take over the town and terrorise the residents, local marital artist Fang Yi-fei (Ti Lung) and farmer Ma Dao (Chen Kwan-tai) also become involved. When Wei Min-hui escapes to alert the authorities, the bandits take reprisals and a choice has to be made, whether to accept their fate or fight back.
Where the film stands out from the usual Chang Cheh product is in the portrayal of the five protagonists, none of which at the outset is set up in the traditional heroic sense. Fang Yi-fei, whilst a practicing martial artist and the only one in town, is not considered a good one. Wei Min-hui is a blacksmith and Ma Dao a farmer, neither set up as fighters. Yau Guang is considered a martial artist but is a circus performer who, from the outset, is unwell and therefore unable to come to the aid as would be expected. Chen Deng comes closest to this narrative convention but even he at the start is a thief and reluctant to become involved.
So instead of a martial arts spectacle, we get almost an underdog-fights-back story with characters as close to regular people you will ever see in a Chang Cheh movie. It does take a bit to sink in when watching, when you consider that all five were Chang Cheh regulars. It does make for an interesting change however, as there is little of the one man vs several clashes and even then, the numbers tell. There is a reluctance to get involved and so the heroism that is displayed comes through personal bravery rather than martial supremacy.
The rest of the townsfolk show an equal reluctance to engage in confrontations for fear of reprisal. Indeed the heroes too seem to consider their options in the whole. A couple of hot headed decisions are shown to have repercussions and so, for once, we actually get a sense of doubt in the heroes' actions. Of course, the finale sees the revolt put into place with an inevatable loss. Like an underdog movie should though, it holds and holds back, upping the tension until the violence erupts.
David Chiang is the only one of the leads to get any significant character development and it feels very much a standard role for him, as the thief that ultimately does the right thing for others than himself. Ti Lung and Chen Kuan-tai have one-note roles and are serviceable but can do so much better if they had something to work with. Danny Lee as Wei Min-hui is the one character more sure of his actions and has less thought about consequences. Again has little to work with until the repercussions of his actions are revealed. Wang Chung spends the first half of the movie either in bed or tied to a tree. Being the only apparent true martial artist of the five, he gets the most physical of the roles.
Whilst less traditional, Chang Cheh fare does have several motifs that recur in most of his movies. The idea of heroic sacrifice is present. These heroes are not martial knights but still uphold the ideals of honor and brotherhood. The violence is brutal and still stylised, despite the playing down of their ability. Women as ever are sidelined and treated poorly in the narrative. It's something I've written about before in other reviews of his and is an unfortunate element to his work. Here, the violence against women acts as another trigger for revenge, so whilst uncomfortable, it does actually service the plot.
Despite not being in the top tier of Chang Cheh's canon, it remains an interesting diversion because of its story and use of different characters from the norm. For that, “The Savage Five”ends up a worthwhile watch and a variant on the standard tales of honor and brotherhood.
