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When Western viewers think of the Shaw Brothers studio, the old-school kung fu genre comes to mind. However, they didn't become Hong Kong's biggest studio by making martial arts films alone, as evidenced by this production starring a very young Danny Lee, who at this point in his career actually played something other than cops. He appears here as a lawyer crippled by polio whose uncle is framed for murder. Before he dies, the uncle gives Danny a secret spell that will give the user nearly unlimited power by turning them into an oil-covered monster. Danny begins using the power to take revenge for those wronged by the crooked law firm he works for, but soon the "oily maniac" takes over, and Danny finds it harder to stop killing.

This is a pretty cool idea that is ultimately let down by the movie's low budget and cheap special effects. The oily maniac just doesn't look all that menacing -- it's just really obviously a guy in a rubber suit -- and the attempts to show the fluid nature of the monster (being able to turn into a pool of oil, grow back limbs, etc.) are laughably bad. However, there is a good deal of boobs and blood to keep things moving along, and the actors for the most part do a good job, which helps keep a serious tone and keeps the film from sliding down into cheeseville. Oily Maniac isn't likely the most terrifying movie you'll ever see -- in fact, it probably won't even give you a cheap scare -- but it is a fun and unique picture that's well worth a look, especially if you want to see what Danny Lee did before he hit it big with films like The Killer.

RATING: 7

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