Huo Bing
1971 / 100m - Hong Kong
Action
3.5*/5.0*
Duel for Gold poster

Watches

April 22, 2021

3.5*/5.0*

One of Yuen Chor's finer martial arts films. A film that feels at least 10 years ahead of its time, as it would've worked quite well as a bridge between the typical Shaw Bros productions and the early martial arts work of Jackie Chan. That's quite something for a project made during the early years of the Shaw Bros boom.

The plot is basic, but what did you expect with a title like Duel for Gold. A safe house houses a big stash of gold, which attracts a few interested parties. They all want to get their hands on the gold, but the house is guarded by a pretty capable martial artist. They'll have to work together to get by him, but splitting up the loot afterwards may prove to be just as treacherous.

The fight choreography is pretty imaginative for its time, performances are solid, there's a lot of backstabbing and changing dynamics that keeps the plot interesting, and he sets have that typical Shaw Bros charm. Solid genre fun with some standout moments that make this a worthy Shaw Bros classic. Oh, and one of the best Shaw Bros endings ever.