Shaolin Raiders of Death (1979) Review

Rating 3 out of 5

Director: Ting Chung, Chester Wang Chung-Kuang

Year: 1979

Plot:

“Shaolin Raiders of Death” is also known as “Kung Fu of 7 Steps”, and is a kung fu movie that doesn’t stary too far from the formulas of classic kung fu movies. It was released in 1979, and the story is simple. The synopsis I found online says that a takeover is plotted with the help of the Five Hands Gang. However, after watching the movie, I can tell you that there’s more to it than just that. Little Tiger is our main hero and he trains in the 7 Steps Kung Fu Style to protect the town he lives in from the invaders simply known as the Five Hands Gang. After his master is beaten up by the gang, he trains even harder, and must take on the gang to protect his village.

Thoughts:

The overall film quality takes a hit, with this movie not being restored, and dubbed overall. The dubbing at times is mumbled, and the quality of the movie is a little bit rough around the edges. For that I knocked it down a few points, however, take that away and you are treated to a solid kung fu film. Little Tiger’s kung fu is great, and the training elements are interesting, including frog jumping, walking on hands, and much more. Aside from the training, the kung fu elements are great, with a lot of attention to minor details, albeit not always pushing the storyline forward.

There are some comedic moments in this one, but they are few and far between. The majority of the movie is spent trying to figure out who the elusive 5 Hand Gang is and why they are in town. After that is figured out, the training and fighting begins, and it doesn’t let up until the gang is defeated.

Overall, “Shaolin Raiders of Death” aka “7 Steps of Kung Fu” is a solid action kung fu movie. It doesn’t stray too far from traditional paths, as there is a revenge plot thrown into the mix of fighting. There is a training montage, and there is a lot of great fight choreography. I would say that this is a no nonsense type of film, but the pacing lacks a little at times, and the film grain is tough because it wasn’t restored or anything. Oh, and the dubbing is tough at times. Other than that, this is a good kung fu movie to check out. I rate it a 3 out of 5.

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