The One Armed Boxer vs.
The Master of the Flying Guillotine

Some movies have it all going for them. No matter how sloppy the execution, the film rides along on premise alone. Such a film would be "The One Armed Boxer vs. The Flying Guillotine" (aka "The Master of the Flying Guillotine", aka "The One Armed Boxer 2", aka "Du bi quan wang da po xue di zi"). In all honesty, how could a movie about a one armed kung-fu master fighting a blind Buddhist monk who wields a flying hat of death be bad? Fortunately, the film backs up its more than adequate premise with what is honestly the most entertaining movie I have ever seen.

The film is directed, written and starred by Jimmy Wang Yu, a pre-Bruce Lee staple of Hong Kong cinema. The second film in the one armed boxer saga (obviously), it stands as a classic example of 70's Kung Fu theater at it's best. Though I saw the subtitled version, it was still ripe with classic lines such as "The power of the Flying Guillotine lies in its energy." and the deliciously understated "Nice jumping."

The plot of the movie centers mostly on a martial arts tournament hosted near the One Armed Boxers' dojo. He attends as a spectator but is stalked by The Master of the Flying Guillotine who seeks revenge for his disciples who were killed by the OAB. The tournament serves as the backdrop for most of the film's fight scenes, which come fast and furious, one after the other in an orgy of kung-fu-ism. Anyone who plays fighting video games will find themselves playing a who's-who of characters with the participants. Among the familiar faces are the prototypes for Chun Li, Joe Higashi, Lee Rekka, Millia, and Raiden. There's also "Yoga Master" who is Dhalsim. Just take a look at the poster. Heck, even Mario shows up in the roster.

Of course, the whole film is entirely reliant on the fight sequences. Thankfully, the film has action in spades. Fighters duel with their hair, fight like monkeys, spar while standing on sword points, and withstand many, many kicks to the groin. All of these fights are presided over by a baby blue clad referee, affectionately known to viewers as "The Fan Guy," who possesses some of the best comic timing I've ever been privileged to watch. 

The real fun starts when The Flying Guillotine whips out his namesake, and starts some noggin chopping on unsuspecting human victims. Ahh yes, the Flying Guillotine, the greatest weapon cinema has ever produced, narrowly edging out the Caster Gun from Outlaw Star. This handy tool is something like a bee-keepers hood of doom, draping over a persons head, and neatly severing it from their bodies.

Perhaps the genius of the film can be summed up in the extravagant climax to the final battle, which takes place in a coffin shop. (Highlight for spoilers, though it's sort of doubtful you'll see it anyway) The One Armed Boxer, after triggering a cleverly concealed hatchet launcher, proceeds to palm the thing through the Flying Guillotine's body. Guillotine, as undaunted as ever, does and elaborate cartwheel kick punch thing and connects only with air. OAB then lands his Mega One Armed Punch^® which launches FG's Body through the roof of the shop. While the lifeless body is rolling downwards, OAB palms a casket off its stand onto the street, wherein the Flying Guillotine lands. (end spoiler)

I could go on indefinitely about the films many merits (Win-Without-A-Knife Takuma, Monkey Boxer, Old Man Eagle Claw, the bamboo harvesting scene, staffs and clubs, "the art of jumping", the seeming abundance of one armed martial artists, FG's seven inch long eyebrows, "I'll kill every one armed man I see") but I'm already pressing my luck time wise. Bottom line, if you like having fun, see this movie, preferably in a theater. Few films have produced more laughs than this, and these aren't laughs at the films faults, these are laughs at the movies manic energy and over the top staging. Truly a classic.