Sat 2 Sep 2017
A Movie Review by Jonathan Lewis: THE MAN FROM HONG KONG (1975).
Posted by Steve under Crime Films , Reviews[5] Comments
THE MAN FROM HONG KONG. British Empire Films, Australia, 1975. Released in the US as Dragon Flies. Jimmy Wang Yu, George Lazenby, Hugh Keays-Byrne, Roger Ward, Ros Spiers, Rebecca Gilling, Sammo Kam-Bo Hung. Director: Brian Trenchard-Smith.
There’s no shortage of fisticuffs and fantastically choreographed martial arts fight scenes in The Man From Hong Kong. Directed by Ozploitation auteur Brian Trenchard-Smith, this entertaining, if deeply uneven, action movie features martial arts legend Jimmy Wang Wu as the titular character and one-time James Bond portrayer George Lazenby as his nemesis.
Occasionally uneven in its pacing, this thrill ride of a movie nevertheless moves along at a steady clip, with bloody and brutal fight sequences interspaced with calm, romantic interludes that seem oddly out of place. But with some great car chases and a 1970s disco-inspired soundtrack, The Man from Hong Kong doesn’t stray from its mission of providing viewers with pure escapist entertainment for very long.
The plot. Inspector Fang Sing Leng (Jimmy Wang Yu) of the Hong Kong Royal Police Force Special Branch heads to Sydney in order to extradite a drug runner (future Hong Kong director and producer Sammo Hung) held by the local authorities.
But when a lone assassin murders Leng’s prisoner in broad daylight, Leng decides that he’s going to take down the entire international drug cartel run by an Australian businessman named Wilton (Lazenby).
Leng fights his way through Sydney, leaving death and mayhem in his wake. But he’s determined to bring down Wilton, no matter what the cost. And when Wilton’s men murder Leng’s Australian love interest, all bets are off. Leng is set to wreak havoc. And wreak havoc he does. Look for the scene in which he stuffs a live grenade in Wilton’s mouth. It is pure grindhouse mayhem.
September 3rd, 2017 at 1:04 am
This is what happens to your career when you think you are too good to play James Bond … Kung Fu and Emanuelle.
This one sounds like fun though, and Lazenby did eventually give a good performance in SAINT JACK.
September 3rd, 2017 at 1:57 am
Some of the fight sequences go on for far too long, but if you’re into this kind of movie, this is a good one.
September 3rd, 2017 at 12:59 pm
Continuing my thought from last night, you can’t help but realize how well choreographed — and unbelievable — the kung fu scenes are in movies like this.
I mean, come on. Six against one? Where the bad guys rush in and attack the good guy, but one at a time, while the others stand back and watch?
Old western movies had the same bad idea first, though.
September 3rd, 2017 at 11:45 pm
Makes you yearn for a weary Indiana Jones hauling out his Webley and cutting things short.
September 4th, 2017 at 1:42 pm
One of the greatest scenes of all time. It took everyone by surprise and with instant pleasure the first time they saw it.