Featuring: Wang Kuan Hsiung aka Champ Wong, Elsa Yeung, Tung Wai, Tsung Hua, Wang Hsieh, Ma Sha, Goo Chang, Tsui Yat Gung
Director: Fang Hsing
Synopsis:
Shanghai:1912 - Champ Wang is Chan Chin Shun, a poor immigrant looking for work. After getting into an altercation trying to steal some rice he is approached by the elegant Miss Chin (Elsa Yeung), who apparently owns half of Shanghai. She sees potential in Chin Shun in the way that he handled himself and gets him a job working for the powerful Ching Clan headed by Mr Pan (Wang Hsieh). Problems begin to arise when the family of an opposing Hung Clan member is massacred which causes waves amongst the Shanghai underworld. After this misunderstanding, the Ching & Hung Clans try and settle their differences but more trouble looms on the horizon in the form of the Black Dragon Society who are beginning to recruit rebel members from the Ching & Hung Clans. Having worked his way to the top of the Ching Clan, Chan Chin Shun must survive numerous attacks and double crosses to preserve the name and honour of his clan, leading to an unescapably bloody finale.

This is another rags to riches story but with a slightly different twist on the usual formula. Instead of solely focussing on one mans rise to the top - it shows us several different perspectives, touching on various characters, their own personal goals and dis-satisfaction within their current Clans. Champ Wang is basically the main character though and after a farily wooden performance in the first half hour he soon livens things up in the second half of the film.
Nobody particularly shines in this film but Elsa Yeung is quite effective as the manipulative Miss Chin and, although sorely under used, Tsung Hua played the part of the head of the Hung Clan with his usual suaveness.

There were minor complaints of Champ Wang's rise to the top being far to swift and easy but these were excused during the films exciting final 20 minutes where the Black Dragon Society make several assassination attempts on Wang Hsieh with the best being an attack by a knife wielding female nurse inside a hospital room.
For those who like the rough stuff, there are quite a few brutal moments too - notably a pregnant women being kicked in the belly, hands being stabbed through the palm and the nasty gang rape upon Mr. Pan's daughter.

I didnt think I was going to like this film, especially due to the fairly lethargic first half and silly cockney dubbing - however once the double and triple crosses started to kick in, this turned out to be an enjoyable and bloody gang land flick. Worth checking out for the final claret-soaked 20 mins! English Dubbed