Review: Shaolin Mantis (1978)

(aka Tang Lang, The Deadly Mantis)
Directed by: Lau Kar-leung
Starring: David Chiang, Lily Li, Norman Chui
Written by: On Szeto
Music by: Yung-Yu Chen
Country: Hong Kong
Available on: DVD (Dragon Dynasty)
IMDb

There are a handful of notable kung fu film directors. One of them sets himself apart by being the most cinematic filmmaker, an innovative fight choreographer, and a great martial artist. Lau Kar-leung, also known as Liu Chia-liang, directed several of the Shaw Brothers' most important films, and even his lesser films have masterfully crafted action set pieces. Shaolin Mantis isn't top-tier Kar-leung, but the fight scenes are truly spectacular. The set-up is the weakest part of the movie, but it's so underdeveloped that it's kind of fascinating. David Chiang plays the lead character, Wei Fung, and his mission is to infiltrate and spy on the Tien Clan. He successfully enters the clan by becoming the teacher of the clan leader's granddaughter, Chi Chi. The teacher/student relationship leads to a marriage that doesn't seem to be taken seriously by Wei Fung, leading to a conflict in the second half of the film that doesn't feel earned. His spying consists of one late-night walk where Chi Chi's uncle almost immediately catches Wei Fung. I can see how the first 40 minutes could test a viewer's patience, and while it's not the most exciting part of the movie, I was hooked because the flaws were so glaring that l couldn't wait to see how or if this would come together in the end. Luckily for the film's sake, it didn't have to come together because once the action gets going, it's almost non-stop for the rest of the movie. Lau Kar-leung's action direction and editing style are energetic, but every move is crystal clear, and it's never chaotic or confusing. Without spoiling anything, the second half of the movie finds Wei Fung fighting the same four characters, along with their guards, two times each, and Kar-leung makes each fight unique and builds the intensity of each scene perfectly. Shaolin Mantis also has one of the most extraordinary training scenes I've ever seen. Most training sequences are between a kung fu expert and their student. What makes this one special is Wei Fung learns the mantis shape style from an actual praying mantis. Watching David Chiang emulate the movements of the praying mantis is taken pretty seriously, and the shots of the mantis are fantastic. The sequence starts during the day and continues into the night, lit by firelight. It's the kind of scene that you'll only see in a kung fu movie, and it's one of the reasons I love the genre. Shaolin Mantis isn't a classic, but if you can make it through the first half, the second half is exceptional, and the action scenes are some of the best of Lau Kar-leung's career.

Overall rating: 8 out of 10