Based on Based on Jin Yong's classic Chinese novel Heaven Sword and Dragon Sabre, The Web of Death is goofy and over the top, but a lot of fun. The same source material was the basis for Kung Fu Cult Master, so fans of that film and the more bizarre side of kung fu cinema will want to check this one out.

In many ways, The Web of Death emphasizes style over substance, but what style it is. This is one of the most visually striking Shaw Brothers martial arts films you'll ever see. From a studio that seemed to reuse the same handful of sets, locations, and filming techniques, the mise en scene here stands out, making the movie at times come off like a kung fu picture seen through the haze of a fever dream.

Led by veterans Yueh Hua and Lo Lieh, the cast here does a solid job in portraying the story, especially Lo, who, as always, puts in excellent work as the movie's main villain, a man who is after a weapon known as the Five Venom Spider, which will give him the power to control the martial arts world, despite it looking more like a cheap carnival prize than an implement of death.

From there, the audience is treated to a story full of intrigue and special effects. Some more tradtional fans may not like The Web of Death's emphasis on the more fantasy-based elements, but it's exactly that approach by direct Chor Yuen that makes this release stand out from a sea of 1970's generic kung fu fare.

RATING: 7