hungerartist

the first martial arts flick i saw (besides the bruce lee films) that blew my mind was 5 deadly venoms. since then i've absorbed as many kung fu flicks as i possibly can, and this one so far has been at the top of the heap. as far as pacing, continuity, characterization, and overall solid story line and film making, master killer is simply perfection. best training sequences i've seen to date, and the strongest character development. by the end of the film, you truly feel like you've experienced and understood just how completely AWESOME the protagonist has become. he truly seems like the biggest bad ass on the planet after the levels and struggles he's had to overcome. if it were possible for the genre of kung fu flicks to win an Oscar, id say this is the closest it comes. i loved 5 deadly venoms, one armed boxer, crippled avengers, and master of the flying guillotine, but as completely awesome and fun as those films were, they BARELY miss the levels this one achieved for me. this is probably because master killer puts all the focus SO WELL on the central character, and he truly has to struggle and fight to become one of the best heros in film history (next to ogami itto from the lone wolf and cub series). truly an epic kung fu flick. if anyone cares to challenge my review or opinion, PLEASE DO!!.. i'm by no means a master of the genre, and i seriously wish i could find a kung fu film as rewarding as this!! any recommendations would be greatly appreciated!