From the golden age of Kung Fu movies, the legendary Shaw Brothers bring you an action-packed tale of revenge, mayhem and flying fists. When his martial arts school is viciously attacked by a rival gang of Japanese thugs, Lei Ming swears to bring them down with violent justice. Written, starring and directed by Jimmy Wang Yu, The Chinese Boxer (1970) is a fabulously fast-paced feature full of exquisite set-pieces and mind-blowing fight choreography. A huge influence on the likes of Tarantino’s Kill Bill (2003) and Bruce Lee’s Fist of Fury (1972) this entertainingly savage story of resilience, skill and a battle against the odds, is one of the first true modern classics of the genre, focussing as it does on physical prowess and athletic proficiency over the more mythical elements of the wuxia era. An undoubted cult classic, this is a must for any serious collector of extreme Asian cinema and martial arts madness.

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Video Quality

The Chinese Boxer was released on Blu-Ray via 88 Films in 2021 with a 1080p master in its original aspect ratio derived from the original 35mm camera negatives. This release offers a first-rate presentation that ranks among the best of the Shaw Brothers titles viewed from the label. Nearly all wear and tear has been cleaned up, and the film does not succumb to any notable instances of compression artifacts. The transfer does not appear to suffer from any DNR applied which allows it to retain its organic appearance.

The transfer features excellent color saturation throughout with sumptuous colors popping off the screen, especially in some of the clothing and makeup elements. The level of discrete detail does not disappoint as you observe delicate facets of the production design and costumes without issue. There are fleeting shots that present as a bit soft which likely links back to the quality of the source elements. The anamorphic framing also occasionally looks a bit squeezed, but this is not a major issue. 88 Films handled this one with the utmost care.

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray presents the film with an LPCM 2.0 mono track in the original Mandarin along with an English dub for those who do not want to experience the film with subtitles. These tracks share many of the same qualities, but the English track sounds a touch less stable with slight traces of sibilance. Otherwise, the dialogue is mostly clear and easily distinguishable throughout both of these tracks. The score maintains a fine fidelity, although there are instances of age-related wear and tear at the highest amplitudes. The film delivers the expected hard-hitting sound effects in the mix that are given the desired weight. The track can sound a bit boxy overall which can make some moments feel less than natural. This release does have optional English subtitles provided. 88 Films has done an admirable job of presenting this film in the best quality possible.

Special Features

Audio Commentary: Critic and Author Samm Deighan delivers a deeply informative commentary track in which she discusses the career of the talent involved, where this film fits within the Shaw Brothers filmography and the genre at large, the focus on martial arts, the many roles of Jimmy Wang Yu, the sets that were used for filming and more.

Open Hand Combat – David West on The Chinese Boxer: A nearly 18-minute featurette with West in which he discusses how this film fits into the Shaw Brothers output, the revitalizing aspects of this feature, the work of Jimmy Wang Yu, the off-screen antics of the star, the themes of the feature, and more.

Wong Ching at Shaw – Interview with Wong Ching: A 14-minute archival piece in which the performer discusses his career, his role in the feature, what makes the film stand apart, the most challenging scenes, and more.

Trailers: This disc provides the US Hammer of God Trailer (2:01), the Hong Kong Trailer (4:04), the English Trailer (3:08), and a US TV Spot (0:31).

Final Thoughts

The Chinese Boxer is a truly standout effort from Jimmy Wang Yu that takes familiar narrative conventions and executes the best versions of them. The star is an obvious talent on screen in terms of athleticism, yet he also knows how to wield his charm to create something memorable. The fight scenes are a ton of fun, and the script is lean to avoid dull detours. This is a great entry point for newcomers to the heyday of martial arts films. 88 Films has released a Blu-Ray featuring a great A/V presentation and some interesting special features. If you are a fan of the Shaw Brothers, this is a must-own. Highly Recommended

The Chinese Boxer is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: 88 Films has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.