Phonearl Good start, but then it gets ruined

TaryBiggBall It was OK. I don't see why everyone loves it so much. It wasn't very smart or deep or well-directed.

SanEat A film with more than the usual spoiler issues. Talking about it in any detail feels akin to handing you a gift-wrapped present and saying, "I hope you like it -- It's a thriller about a diabolical secret experiment."

Freeman This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

Leofwine_draca Director Corey Yuen is the sure and steady hand behind this ninja lark which offers plenty of action throughout. It's an odd film, a mixture of typical Jackie Chan-style comedy and hard-hitting ninja action, but unusually the two styles mix together very well and the film as a result is great fun. Conan Lee – who incredibly had no martial arts training before production – is good value as the Chan lookalike who gets into various scrapes with his master, and he's ably supported by Tai Bo in a comic supporting role as a sex-obsessed servant who inadvertently ends up saving the day. However, the real star of the show is Hiroyuki Sanada as the ninja hero; Sanada is particularly graceful in his fight scenes and the eventual extended battle between himself and Lee is a tremendous ruckus that stands out as one of the best in the film.The plot is a simple one and packed with twists as the story gradually unfolds. There's plenty of humour – a little of the China-meets-Japan style – and, of course, numerous fight scenes unfold along the way. The best of these are the battles between Lee and Sanada, including an early showdown in a room full of traps that has to be seen to be believed! Ninjas play a strong presence in the film and there are some great showdowns with the black-garbed villains. However, the best fight scene of all is the last one, in which Lee and Sanada team up to fight a black magician, played by high-kicker Hwang Jang Lee. Anyone who's watched Sammo Hung in ENCOUNTERS OF THE SPOOKY KIND will recognise the inspiration for the finale, as the magician builds up his altar and sends various demon-possessed foes to battle our heroes. Yet it's just as entertaining, because it's so over the top and complete with magic swords, severed ears and legs, and a final showdown with Lee that incorporates cheesy early computer graphics! Hugely entertaining, the climax makes a fitting ending for an above average, always watchable Hong Kong masterpiece.

sillybuddha Very professional and entertaining blend of kung fu plus ninja action. The film stands out in relation to its two male leads who are both charismatic, good looking and competent fighters. Conan Lee is surely the George Lazenby of the kung fu world, as his physique, technique and English were clearly good enough to allow him to become a major name in kung fu movies. His fairly comedic turn here is contrasted by Hiroyuki Sanada who gives an intense performance as the ninja 'in the dragon's den'. There are a lot of stand out scenes - from the opening montage of ninjas training (and the pop song about the 'legend of the ninja' which goes with it), to the horse-based action, the traps set by Lee for the ninja, (especially the stunt involving jumping into a burning lake - absolutely mental) and the assassination attempt at the water mill. There's plenty of good ideas and neat scenes going on, and the fighting is of a good standard- there's even a surprise twist ending. Probably not a great insight into Chinese or Japanese culture as the film is pretty light-hearted throughout, our hero has a comedy sidekick for example, but this is somewhat contrasted with the more serious ninja side-story. A delightful romp.

White_Tigerl This is a great retread of the old and use Chinese vs Japanese story lines with incredible Action choerography and skill from the leads. I had never seen Hiroyuki Sanada in a film except The last samurai (he was the one who kept beating up tom cruise), and was very very impressed with his flexibility and grace, he was genuinely believable as a ninja. Conan lee did fine but the real star is Corey Yuen or Yuen Kwai, his masterful direction especially in the action was incredible and was definitely a showcase for his talent. Overall a great film and incredible action featuring a great supporting role from Hwang Jang lee.

John Firth Once you get past the first twenty or thirty minutes, then this film really gets going. Of course, this section features what is surely the only fight performed on stilts.After that, Conan Lee and Hiroyuki Sanada get to showcase their talents to the full, with Sanada just coming out on top. Hwang Jang Lee makes a nice cameo appearance as a disgruntled sorceror at the end.Thankfully the action isn't too "old school". The fights are much quicker than many from the late-70s/early-80s (the white eyebrow stuff, and Eagle vs Tiger Crane nonsense), and look more realistic than most films of the period. Even when Sanada demonstrates his own Kung Fu, he seems more 1993 Iron Monkey than 1977.Oh, and Conan Lee does look a bit like Jackie Chan.