Although we're a couple of venoms down (and feeling it), this film generally has enough about it to make up for the feeling that a couple of faces are missing – particularly for a viewer like me, who only really knows them as a mob, rather than individuals. In this film we have a ruthless gang, all wearing masks and exclusively fighting with tridents, killing people with anonymous abandon. They mess with the wrong group, leading to a hunt to track down the masked gang – however with their identities a secret, can anyone be trusted? And who is the deliberately mysterious cook Kao Yao, who seems to have more interest in the gang than he lets on?
Although there are too many characters in this film, it does have a good sense of plot and mystery to it, as we build well towards a final confrontation where identities and loyalties are exposed for all to see. The plot is not as twisty and turny as it could have been, there is a good sense of the characters not all being what we think they are, and being part of a mystery rather than the normal black hat/white hat situation. At times perhaps it doesn't have as much action as you would like, but the intrigue over the gang's identity helps keep things interesting. The fights using the tridents are okay; mostly they produce acrobatics and baton-twirling rather than real tension in the fight sequences.
This is not the case in the final battle though; this is set in a temple, with dramatic entrances, plenty of violence, dramatic deaths, and some very good choreography in the action, which mixes the acrobatic skills but also has a brutality to it that adds value. The cast may seem full in some regards, but also the lack of a couple of the main crew makes it feel like there is a gap too. This hurts some of the actors who I did not know, since they do remind one that they would not be there if option 1 had stayed with the mob. Kwok is still very good though and leads the cast well, along with Sheng Chiang.
Overall Masked Avengers may be missing a few actors that we are accustomed to seeing, but generally it works well thanks to a good plot, solid action, and a particularly brutal final battle.
