I picked this movie after seeing Chia Ling in Duel at the Tiger Village. She kicked butt in that movie. So I was expecting the same here. after all, her character is the enter of the plot, right? Wrong. She has been back burnered to give Yueh Hua and Lieh Lo another chance to show off their skills. I adore both men and love to see them in action. But, this movie wasn't supposed to be about them. It was allegedly about Chia Ling taking a secret message to a government spy regarding rebel movements, after the original spies are murdered.
The movie centers on an incredibly egotistical, jealous, abusive man, Ku Shun (Lieh Lo) who cannot stand the fact his wife Su Ling-Lung (Huang Jin-Yi) is a beauty upon whom men will look. He flies into a jealous rage whenever a man looks sideways at Su Ling-Lung. He demeans Su with every breath and beats he when the man he thinks is her lover is not in reach. Su Ling-Lung as yet another "helpless" woman is tiring.
Shiu Chow (Chia Ling disguised as a man), enroute to complete the message mission, rescues Su Ling-Lung at an inn, where a Lothario won't take no for an answer. Shiu Chow takes off to continue her journey. Su Ling-Lung is then rescued from bandits by Li Chan (Yueh Hua) and Shiu Chow's servant Nanku (Got Siu-Bo), a deaf mute.
There's a Lothario gorilla encounter that makes no sense, in which one of Su Ling-Lung's earrings get attached to Li Chan's clothes - it's all innocent. However, jealous Ku Shun sees it as his wife and Li Chan had a sexual encounter. This leads to Li Chan defending his innocence and his own father allowing him to be punished for being an adulterer - in public at Ku Shun's hands.
Siu Chow has gone from being a confident woman to a pathetic jealous school girl, who leaves innocent Li Chan to fend for himself. The only person on Li Chan's side is Nanku, who has gone off to search for the one witness to Li Chan's innocence. Nanku cannot speak but does his damnedest to track down the witness.
There seems to be a scene missing from the movie. Li Chan was tied to a post by Ku Shun and suddenly is in a barn, bandaged and half unconscious, listening to Siu Chow ramble on about trust, being in love and promising to kill Li Chan for betraying her.
Su Ling-Lung gets kidnapped two more times, one by bandits who broke in to Ku Shun's place, then by the rebel leader who was supposed to help Ku Shun find his wife, for a fee. There's more pathetic jealous school behavior from Siu Chow even after the witness tells everyone Li Chan did nothing wrong.
The final battle is between an injured Li Chan and the rebel leader, Yu Chin Tang (Shan Mao). The others, including the very adept Siu Chow, just watch the action No one lifts a finger to aid Li Chan. Personally, I'd say the hell with all of them. But Li Chan, ever the gentleman, rises above it all.
The finale is Li Chan escorting Siu Chow to where she is to meet the government agent. He says the pass words meant for the agent carrying the information about the rebel movement Siu Chow responds with code words she'd been given at the beginning of the movie.
There was so much potential with this movie and it failed. It would have made a great spy adventure with Siu Chow as a reluctant agent and Li Chan and Nanku helping her along the way. Instead, we were treated to a story about a jealous man who wrongly accuses another and punishes him for no reason other than stupidity.
I would recommend this movie for those who enjoy watching Chia Ling kick butt. She does an amazing job when actually given fight screen time. Yueh Hua rolling around in all white while kicking some butt is also interesting to see. Plot wise, this is old.
