The Shaw Bros' most prestigious director. He made a slew of martial arts classics together with action legend Gordon Liu. Apart from a small dip in the late 80s, Liu's work is a treasure trove for action fans, others can safely skip his work.
The good stuff
One of the big martial arts masterpieces of the 90s. Jackie Chan teamed up with Chia-Liang Liu hoping to deliver a worthy sequel to Woo-Ping Yuen Drunken Master. Like Yuen, Liu may not be the most skilled director, but he sure knows how to set up an impressive spectacle. Drunken Master II is not a film without flaws, but whenever Lui and Chan dish out another stupendous action scene those flaws are quickly forgotten. The 20-minute finale is by far one of the best martial arts scenes ever. A must-see for all martial arts fan out there.
Solid pieces
Chia-Liang Liu's swan song. It's a very clear throwback to the heyday of the Shaw Bros studio, which is both a strength and a weakness. The film feels more than a bit dated for a 2003 project, but the focus on martial arts skills and choreography is tangible. With Liu both in front of and behind the camera, there's plenty to like for genre fans.
Bill Man is a respected teacher, but he is tough on his students. They set up a trap and nearly kill him. Man manages to escape and becomes a recluse. He finds some new students to teach, but then his old clan learns he is still alive, and they come back to try and finish the job.
Liu found some young talent and gave himself a sizeable role to show off he could still kick ass at his age. The action scenes are pretty great, the rest of the film isn't quite up to par though. The cinematography is lacking, the soundtrack isn't great, and the plot is really bland. Still, if you love Liu's older work, this is well worth checking out.
The inoffensive
Return to the 36th Chamber
36th Chamber of Shaolin
Worthy but flawed
Legendary Weapons of China
Spiritual Boxer II
Challenge of the Masters
Plain forgettable
Aces Go Places V: The Terracotta Hit
