Shaolin Temple

Another solid Cheh Chang/Shaw Bros film. The comedy at the start was a welcome surprise, but this section of the film is rather short and once the story settles in Shaolin Temple quickly moves on to a more serious vibe. I wouldn't have minded a somewhat lighter film for a change, then again that's not really why people became fans of the studio.

One of the emperor's generals successfully double-crosses him and claims his spot on the throne, banishing the emperor from his country. One of the emperor's slaves escapes and seeks out the Shaolin monks. They accept his request and train him to become a worthy fighter, after which he returns to the castle to take on the general.

At two hours, the film is probably a bit too long. The amusing intro and the lengthy final fight (close to half an hour) make the time pass a little quicker though. There are also more characters dying in this film, which ups the stakes and make the plot a bit more interesting to follow. Shaolin Temple is a solid entry in Chang's crazy big oeuvre, but nothing too out of the ordinary.