jh_reaper
Yes if you read my above sentence summary you read right. Exploding ninjas, giant ninjas, TONS of blood and loads of fun. This is one of the more fun experiences I've ever had watching a film and this is pretty easy to get on DVD (Amazon, Netflix, etc) for rent or buy. If you like old Kung Fu/Swordplay/Samurai type films then you should like this one. There are a lot of beautiful and bloody sword fights. The film knows exactly what it's trying to do and does that well. I am also impressed at the amount of Ninjas in this film because there's rarely Ninja in film, or at least good ones I should say and I for one happen to love them so it's a shame. Martial artist gather for a tournament held every 10 years and the end result is brutal, bloody, amazingly choreographed sword fights between the Japanese/Chinese characters. Ninja's explode, people talk with their heads having been separated from the rest of their body, and blood flies everywhere - so if that's your thing then check this one. A rare gem that more Martial Arts/Swordplay/Kung Fu/Samurai film fans should see. I love it!
Golgo-13
This classic kung fu flick pits China's greatest swordfighter against Japan's and that in itself makes for a pretty cool watch. However, this movie has something more
ninjas! Ninjas are sweet and by sweet, I mean totally awesome! This has got to be one of the greatest (and most fun) "ninja" movies ever! These ninjas fly, explode, form like Voltron, disappear, crawl underground, jump out of their clothes, throw hundreds of stars, and much, much more! While Duel is low on actual hand-to-hand combat, the swordplay is fantastic; fast and furious. There are even some nice blood sprays thrown in for good measure! The scene where the Chinese fighter slices some bark from a tree to shield him from an onslaught of shurikens was a favorite, as was the head-on-a-branch scene. The final fight was cool as well (why did he stab his own foot though?). Overall, as far as kung fu flicks go, this one rocks
hard. It's well worth the cheap DVD price.By the way, Kill Bill used several lines from Duel to the Death such as "unfinished business" and "kill God if he is in your way."
m_b_jack
A genre defining movie, a must see for any martial arts or "wire-fu" fans out there.The plot is somewhat simple, but acceptable, for it serves as the engine to get the audience to the incredible cinematography and action. The best swordsman of China and Japan meet to have a legendary dueling competition, while a dubious ninja master attempts to capture all of the skilled Chinese warriors to stack the competition in Japan's favor.Wow. I figured being a 1982 movie that it would not stack up to today's standards, and I was happily proved wrong. Tony Ching Siu Tung proves his early genius, clearly showing why movies he has worked on ("Hero", "House of Flying Daggers") are the stuff legends are made of.Seek this movie out.
ragamufin
Just saw this movie today, in 2001 for the very first time. I must say I was blown away by the camera work, the visual effects and the the creativity of the whole film in general. There was plot and character development and lots and lots of fight sequences. The swords-play was the best I've personally ever seen of any Kung fu flick. Even by today's standards I would have to say this movie kicked a$$. Creative, creative, creative. Wow.
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