Killer Constable

This had a very Western feel to it which I enjoyed. The acting was very good and the fighting got better as the film went on. The final two fight scenes were top-tier Shaw Brothers and the ending was the perfect end for this movie.

Contrary to most kung fu movies this has a moral grey scale, questioning the morals of the protagonist worth his nickname. It's not only in content but also in form the movie differs from the norm. It looks as a horror movie with many shots in darkness combined with bright colors, Which fits the somber gritty content. The fights are reminiscent of chanbara movies. The big fight sequences are all set in beautiful original settings, some shot on location, which keep the action scenes diverse.

With a more eclectic filmography behind him, Kuei Chih-Hung brings vastly different flavors to the table than the the physics-defying kung fu usually seen in Shaw Bros. wuxia. With its anti-hero, character-driven set-pieces and buckets of red paint, "Killer Constable" harkens more to Dirty Harry, Sergio Leone and Japan's Chanbara respectively. It's pulp, stupidly illogical, but full of intrigue, and probably a Tarantino influence. Though I prefer Chia-Liang Liu, it's a nice change of pace.

This is a very well shot Shaw Brothers film that sets itself higher than the average one by its great story, well written characters and dialogue, an unpredictable plot, and a much darker tone and atmosphere than pretty much any of their films. I would compare the level of despair in this one to Kurosawa's Ran, which is a hard feat to pull off, but it manages. The sets are also something to be marveled at, while still being on the SB studio lot are lit and dressed beautifully with great detail.

Atypical Shaw Brothers wuxia film with a protagonist who gives Dirty Harry a run for his money. It's surprisingly social conscious and darker in tone than the usual SB productions. Visually, it's a nice combination of beautifully created studio sets and outdoor scenes. The last third reminded me of "The Killer" and it makes you wonder if this was an inspiration for the John Woo film.