[Fantasia ’25] ‘The Battle Wizard’: Wild Shaw Brothers release is an overlooked gem

Shaw Brothers Studio is known for kung-fu classics. The Battle Wizard from 1977 may not be as well known as Five Deadly Venoms, but it is easily one the most entertaining films in their impressive catalog. Screening at Fantasia in all its uncut glory, this adaption includes martial arts battles, lasers, a kung-fu gorilla, and a protagonist that eats exotic animals to become more powerful.

The wild opening moments set up the entire movie. Duan Zhengming has just had an intimate moment with Qin Hongmian who immediately announces that she is pregnant. (She has known for a month; there is a lot of wackiness in The Battle Wizard, but super sperm is not one of them.) Her husband then barges in leading to a battle in which Zhengming shoots both of his legs off with lasers he can shoot from his fingers. The scene ends with Zhengming’s wife appearing from out of nowhere and telling Qin that she hooked up with someone who is above her station.

Fast forward twenty years and Qin’s husband now has two mechanical legs that can expand and break rocks. He also has a henchman named Canglong who has a sickle for a hand. The two (constantly) laugh as they plot their revenge which eventually  escalates to Oldboy-esque levels.

It is a lot to take in, but The Battle Wizard doles it out in a way that is easy to understand. It is your basic revenge story. It just happens to include a giant python, poisonous frog, and a will they/won’t they incest subplot. For all the craziness, the characters do a good job of standing out. No villains have loved their jobs more than these two. They burst into laughter after pretty much every sentence and generally seem to enjoy life. Sure, Canglong is a pervert and his boss has become obsessed with vengeance, but it is hard not to laugh with them.

One of the “good guys” is a little harder to get behind. Duan Yu is fine as the would-be scholar who becomes martial arts master after eating a few animals. And Mu Wanqing is pretty awesome, though the ending does her dirty and the movie missed a golden opportunity to have her use the catchphrase, “Let’s bone down.” It is more about their cad father whose uncontrolled libido sets the whole thing in motion. 

Zhengming comes off as the real villain in The Battle Wizard. Especially after the introduction of another husband whose wife cheated with Zhengming. That being said his role is small and he does not strike the killing blow. Still, it seems like Mu forgives him despite him being underserving.

But with this type of film, it is all about having fun. The story delivers in spades with great action and the surprisingly well written tale involving siblings Duan Yu and Mu. The Battle Wizard has some fun teases between them that is the perfect buffer between the all out craziness of everything else. Shaw Brothers did a lot of must see cinema, and this is right up there.

[Fantasia ’25] ‘The Battle Wizard’: Wild Shaw Brothers release is an overlooked gem

The Battle Wizard

It's hard to mess up your movie when you have a giant red python, poisonous frog, and kung fu gorilla. It's not like they would add ince- Oh, wait.

Reader Rating0 Votes

0

Zany story that is completely bonkers

Potentially disgusting story ends up being well written

Cool fight scenes

Even for the 1970s some of the special effects are dodgy

9

Great