Leofwine_draca
A gory offering from the Shaw Brothers studio which offers up insane ninja action and fantastic elements in abundance, as well as a ton of martial arts mayhem to whet the appetite of any fan of the martial arts genre. In the early '80s, the Shaw Brothers took to inserting graphic gore into their kung fu epics (as well as churning out their own brand of stomach-churning horror yarns) in a bid to attract bigger violence-seeking audiences. FIVE ELEMENT NINJAS stands true as one of their most over-the-top kung fu films with graphic scenes of violence in no other. It's one of the most violent films I've seen, with a huge body count and people being killed every few minutes.There's a heavy emphasis on weaponry, with lots of huge shiny - and frankly absurd - axes and spears being used in the combat sequences (complete with tinny ringing noises) and lots of cool devices like poisoned throwing rings (which hilariously cause the victims to be unable to use kung fu for three months!) and a pair of handcuffs which can only be unlocked with a special key and is otherwise unbreakable. The music is effective and the varied locations add to the visual splendour of the movie.The acting is average for the genre, with the good guys being likable and the bad guys being sufficiently mean, but little other characterisation. Former Venom Lo Meng has the best role and the film's best scene, an extended fight against overwhelming odds. I did like the character of the female ninja who has a change of heart and falls for the good guy before dying a tragic death. But otherwise, this is mainly for ninja fans who want to see one of the most absurd - and thus, best - ninja movies out there. These ninjas can jump in and out of the ground, disappear at will, and fly through the air with ease! The action sequences are fantastic if you don't mind the gore and spraying arterial fluids and in all this is a bloody good time, and one of the most incredible movies I've yet seen.
TheLoveBandit
Another dubbed kung fu film I thought was a sequel (to 5 Deadly Venoms). It was not (not a comedy, either). On par dubbing, meh story line, but my gosh it felt like 2 movies. First half was spent watching a Chinese martial arts team get destroyed by some Japanese ninjas that follow 5 elements of style (Gold, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth). At the midpoint, you feel like you've watched enough and are ready to move on....but the last living member of the Chinese team had a little ninja training himself. He goes back to join his ninja master, teams up with 3 others who were being trained by the ninja master, and the four of them set out to beat the elemental ninjas at their own game. The film seems like it goes on forever, but I will admit the back half does have quite a bit of innovative fight scenes. A lot of the costumes, and some of the fights, are awfully damn hokey, but some of the fight scenes are extremely well choreographed and executed (particularly the fight against Gold and the final boss fight). I wouldn't recommend this film, but if you are really into the genre, you can kill some time with it.
gambitnightwing
I remember seeing this movie as a kid and thinking it was the best Kung-Fu movie I had ever seen. I recently saw it on sale and purchased it,not knowing if it was going to be as good as I remembered. It was better! The fight scenes are fantastic and the story keeps you interested. There are some scenes that made me laugh out loud, but that's to be expected from a low budget Chop-Sockey flick. The different weapons and fighting styles are what keeps the story going and the elements (gold, wood, fire, water, earth) are really a force to reckon with. This movie isn't to be taken seriously, have fun with it. If you do like this movie, check out "Five Deadly Venoms".
kraziken
Before I even knew the name Shaw Bros. I was a fan. I saw this movie many years ago on a t.v. series Black Belt Theater.The 5 elements are unique and add some of the fun to this movie.If you are a fan of old Kung Fu movies, do yourself a favor and pick this up on DVD. The quality isn't great, but it does have a nice mini-filmography of the actors in the movie.
AD
