Duel to the Death
1983
Director: Ching Siu-Tung
Stars: Norman Chu, Damian Lau, Flora Cheung, Eddy Ko Hung, Casanova Wong
Ching Siu-Tung may not be as well known as some of his contemporaries such as Yuen Woo-Ping, but Ching's credits (both as director and action coordinator) read like a "best of" list for Hong Kong action movies. From The Killer to Dragon Inn to the Swordsman trilogy, Ching has been one of the most active and influential directors working in Hong Kong over the last twenty years.
This film, which was Ching's first stint as a director, isn't as polished as some of his later work. To begin with, the plot is extremely simple, with a Japanese (Norman Chu) and Chinese (Damian Lau) warrior meeting up for a duel, while a wily Japanese monk (Eddy Ko Hung) plots to destroy everyone involved. The simple plot would normally be a refreshing change from the cluttered ones these types of films usually employ, but the script relies too much on cliches (some lines sound straight off a fortune cookie) and weak plot twists to keep the viewer too involved. I also didn't like the ambiguous ending. Hong Kong films (especially action ones) are not normally known for having long epilogues, but Duel to the Death ends so abruptly after the climatic duel -- literally seconds after the fatal blow -- that there felt like there was little resolution at all to the story or characters. These situations are not helped at all by the acting, which is average at best throughout the film.
But Ching Siu-Tung is not known for his great plots or stunning dialogue, he is known for producing some of the best action sequences around. The ones featured in Duel to Death are, once again, not as polished as later films, but they are still exciting and quite gory in parts. Even though the means to capture the high-flying moves are simple by today's standards (mostly undercranking and backwards filming), they captured the powers of the fighters' moves very well, especially compared to over-computerized movies like A Man Called Hero. There is a downside to the fight sequences, though. I didn't like some of the editing techniques; some moves are shot too close up and edited too fast -- so it turns out that this is not just an American quirk.
However, I really enjoyed a lot of the action stuff in Duel to the Death, most notably the various methods of ninja trickery shown, and the final confrontation between Lau and Chu, which takes place on a stunning clifftop and culminates in a virtual bloodbath as the combatants dice themselves (and the cliff) apart. These sequences make this a worthy viewing for Hong Kong action junkies, and a good introduction to the best director you may have never heard of.
RATING: 7
This DVD is available for purchase at www.hkflix.com
