SNUFF BOTTLE CONNECTION is one of the better martial arts films I've sat through lately, with strong and vivid action sequences and a more in-depth and suspenseful storyline than most. There are still slow spots and stock fight scenes that are added merely to pad out the running time, but for the most part this is above-par stuff. The film is a truly international co-production, made by Chinese financiers in Taiwan, featuring a leading Chinese cast, a mainly South Korean supporting cast, and some western actors playing the foreign villains. You may recognise one of the latter as Roy Horan, who also starred in GAME OF DEATH II, here playing the unlikely named Colonel Tolstoy.
The story is about a planned Russian invasion of Manchuria and the upstanding young heroes who must battle to prevent it. To this end, they also have to seek out and unmask the Chinese traitor colluding with the foreign enemies. John Liu isn't one of the best kung fu heroes of the era but he's not bad, and audiences are treated to the great Hwang Jang Lee in support. Lee is virtually unrecognisable in his white wig, and he doesn't get to do any of his best kicking, but he's always a welcome presence in these movies.
The fight choreography, by Yuen Woo-ping, is a definite notch above that seen in common chop socky epics. They have that great sense of momentum where the fights cut between different camera angles between blows without ever slowing down. There are early frenetic brawls between the dastardly Russians and innocent Chinese workers before things become more traditional in the second half as the good guys fight their way through pretty much every bad guy in the movie. Watch out for Yuen Biao in a brief cameo as a casino fighter.
