After starring in and directing the hugely successful “One Armed Boxer Vs the Flying Guillotine / Master of the Flying Guillotine” (1976) Jimmy Wang Yu was back with both arms and fighting yet another version of the famed Shaw Brothers flying guillotine in this low-budget Taiwanese clone.
Nicknamed the Silver Spear, Lung Fei Yung is a ruthless assassin for hire and he only kills people who deserve to die. Apparently during a massacre ten years ago, a trio of powerful experts known as The Devil's Three was responsible for the downfall of one hundred and twenty members from eight kung fu schools. Now for some unknown reason, a certain female clan leader has decided to have them killed and trusting that Lung the Spearman is the only one who can do the job, she promptly hires him.
Lung easily dispatches the first Water Devil in a brief and unusual under water combat in a lake. Though wounded during his fight with the second One-eyed Devil, he manages to spear him to death then takes shelter at his blind lover Tung Hsiao Lan's hideout to heal off. Amusingly, the third Devil lives in a mortuary, hides in coffins and favors the use of poison, however with his extending silver spear Lung spears him through the coffin. Meanwhile, in order to make sure that Lung will do another killing for her, the cunning female clan leader kidnaps and holds Tung as a hostage. Consequently, Lung has no choice but to set out for his next target, the white-haired clan leader known as the Old Recluse who lives on a snow-capped mountain top and uses the deadly flying Death Ring as his ultimate weapon.
Visually this production looks rather good. especially the outdoor locations like the snow-caped mountain, the bamboo forest and lake. The indoor sets are interesting enough to hold the viewers' attention, in particular the mortuary set which is full of coffins, poison-spewing skeletons, snakes and frogs. Likewise, the atmospheric lighting and spooky soundtrack make for a horror experience. Furthermore, the lair of the Old Recluse is equally well designed with deadly traps everywhere.
Most of the weapons displayed here are of the long-reaching variety like the spear, three-section staff and the Guan Dao, a pole with a huge and heavy blade attached. Of course the flying guillotine makes another return in the form of a spinning top with sharp blades. While masterfully choreographed by Lau Kar Wing, the fluid action looks rather mediocre but fast in pacing. The attention-grabbing underwater combat is a curious addition which unfortunately comes to an unsatisfied abrupt end. The final fight between Wang Yu and Chang Yi and the creative use of setting ropes on fire is definitely the film's highlight.
Although there are enough colorful and eccentric characters here, none of them has any backstory to speak of except for Spearman Lung. Nonetheless, Jimmy Wang Yu looks drained of energy and his rendering of Lung is that of a soulless wandering man with only one somber expression. In contrast, together with his hearty evil laughs and yelling, Chien Te Men seems to be having a ball playing the white-haired villain, the Old Recluse. All he wants is to rule the Martial World by acquiring the ultimate head chopping flying machine, the Death Ring.
Shaw Brothers veteran Chang Yi turns up as his right hand man Hsu Erh Lan but with very little to do except for his amazing and memorable duel with Wang Yu which he absolutely looks the part, wielding the heavy Guan Dao. Actually, Wang Yu is pretty good with his retracting spear too. Hsu Feng, award winner and the leading star of King Hu's “Dragon Inn” and “A Touch of Zen” plays Tung Hsiao Lan, the blind love interest of Spearman Lung. Again the script doesn't give her much to do besides look pretty and in distress. Hu Chin who plays the calculative female clan leader who likes men and is keen to kill anyone she doesn't like, turns out to be the most captivating character.
Taken as a whole, this is very much a revenge seeking wuxia film with multiple plots populated with ample of appealing and crazy characters which makes it an entertaining watch. The beautiful outdoor locations and some indoor sets are welcome distractions.
