This is one of those films that you hear about, but never quite expect it to be as good as it is. "Hell's Windstaff" is an extremely well paced little genre flick, with strong central performances and immensely satisfying action. Whilst it has a somewhat basic story and simple production values, it more than makes up for its ordinariness by gluing your eyes to the fighters.
Where to start? The story perhaps. Tiger Wong (Yuen Man Meng) and Stone Dragon (Hoi Mang) are two undisciplined friends who get caught up in deep trouble. Tiger is particularly unruly, until a con-man is persuaded to become his master. This leads to a brief battle of wits between the pupil and his master, with inevitably humiliating results. The comedy on show here will put some people off, but I found it well-meaning, lighthearted and amusing.
Later, Tiger and Stone Dragon encounter the Four Snakes, a gang of badass experts who are selling the locals as slaves. This proves to be a fatal interference, as word reaches the local crime boss, a villain with an eye patch, who enlists the help of his master, the formidable Korean superkicker Hwang Jang Lee, to attack Tiger's father. In the ensuing battle, Tiger's master is killed helping the young lads to escape.
The rest of the film consists of the two lads trying to master various styles, with a new master, in order to take down their adversaries and exact revenge.
The balance in this film is weighed firmly in favor of action. The comedy lasts right until the last scene, but from halfway through the film it only ever pokes its head above the action a few times. Action is the name of the game here. There's a superb exhibition of fluent pole fighting, and a variety of shapes-work to add detail to the sequences, such as Dragon Hands, Devil Claws, Snake Fist and Eagle's Claw. The performers throw themselves into the scenes with abandon, resulting in some eye-opening, truly impressive fights. The camerawork is also worth a mention. Too often in Hollywood movies, the camera is flying and jumping about so violently you can't actually see anything happening, it's like watching a film playing in a tumble dryer. This film, though, like so many from the region, balances the camerawork beautifully. The fights are very well choreographed, and the camera often moves right into the action, yet in such a way that makes everything completely visible. The martial arts sequences are beautifully framed.
The two cocky young bucks make for likeable leads, with a fantastic energy in their performances. Hwang Jang Lee delivers a masterclass of kicking, shapes work and pole fighting in this film. He showcases his versatility in a typical bad guy role.
I would recommend this film to people who like their action fast and pleasing on the eye. The simple story is inoffensive and acts as a solid framework to the numerous actions sequences. I've watched it a few times now and I've never been disappointed.
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