Crippled Avengers (1978)

☆ ☆ ☆ ½

Crippled Avengers (1978) – C. Chang

Classic Shaw Brothers production (directed by Cheh Chang) that feels familiar like an old glove.  Of course, it’s a period drama where various martial arts schools train students, hold grudges, and fight duels.  The plot here is ludicrous but that adds extra camp value.  It begins in a flashback showing us a vicious attack on the wife and young son of a particular kung fu master: her legs are cut off and his arms are cut off.  She dies but he lives and is given iron arms by a blacksmith.  Fast forward and they are a wealthy clan but they have turned evil; the son uses his iron arms to inflict pain on others.  In fact, in rapid succession we see them blind one poor salesman, turn a poor blacksmith deaf and dumb, cut off the legs of a third young man, and then cause severe brain injury to a fourth hero who seeks to avenge them (turning him into a fool).  Fortunately, they are taken in by a friendly master who spends three years training them to fight despite their disabilities (and with some iron legs to boot).  The second half of the film shows their efforts to take revenge on the evil master (which are ultimately successful – thanks to the iron legs!).  So, how does one evaluate this genre?  Relative to all films? Relative to other martial arts films?  Certainly, this is schlocky-good but as it progresses, the acrobatic abilities of the leads become ever more apparent – especially when their kung fu involves iron rings that they throw, catch, use as weapons, and dive through.  The choreography is simply astounding at times, involving close coordination of several actors at once (heroes and villains).  And that’s the real reason to watch these films – for the sheer exhilaration of seeing finely trained athletes showing off their skills (plus or minus a dramatic eye gouge or two and some fake blood spurting everywhere).