It’s amazing how much difference a decade makes. Executioners from Shaolin is considered, by fans at least, as one of the best films that the Shaw Brothers catalog and it’s an iconic classic in a variety of other ways. It’s loved for so many reasons and all of them are legitimate. The stars, the action, the story… you name it and there’s a reason why Executioners from Shaolin is considered a cornerstone film of the cornerstone studio.
Yet, just ten years ago in the early days of Blood Brothers,
I wrote a very lukewarm review of the film. It’s not a very well-written
review, to be frank, and part of me hates to link it HERE, but it’s important
to recognize the flaws of the past. That’s what Executioners from Shaolin
teaches us anyway. To learn from the past, make the proper corrections, and
move forward to claim justice.
A few years ago, I was graciously asked to write a new piece
on the film for the official Celestial Pictures Shaw Brothers website - which
can be found HERE, and in that time I saw that I was perhaps a bit harsh on the
film initially. With its inclusion in the Shawscope Vol. 1 boxset from
Arrow Video, now it’s my third time addressing the film and I like to think that
it’s the charm.
Not that I have much else to say beyond the previously
mentioned two articles above, but this latest release deserves a mention. It
should be stated that while I still think Executioners from Shaolin has
a structural issue in its pacing and some of the tangential sequences that go
on for a bit too long, this film easily charms its way into my heart with its
strong characters and large multi-generational storyline. This is a film about
the family, about honoring those before us or those who sacrificed for us, and
that is a theme that rings loudly through the gimmicks and occasionally silly
comedy.
The action is superbly crafted, the gimmicks are
impressively memorable including Pai Mei’s invincible balls or the ball bearing
iron training dummy, and the casting is top-notch. Yes, my initial review
called it one of Lau Kar Leung’s more perplexing films, but that’s because he
is doing a lot of intriguing things with the film that spin the formula. He’s
pushing boundaries and owning them with confidence. Even using a comedic father
and son bit from the second act to heroic effect in the third. It’s smartly
crafted, heartfelt, and entertaining as hell. We all have to learn.
Executioners from Shaolin has such a strong standing
with fans, it’s a bit of a shock that Arrow Video didn’t pop it off as a
standalone release like they have already announced for Come Drink with Me
and The 8 Diagram Pole Fighter. Instead, it’s featured as part of the
first volume of their Shawscope series, and for good reason. It’s a
cornerstone film. It’s smartly partnered with Challenge of the Masters
on the disc and features a ton of features that I briefly mentioned in my
coverage on that film HERE.
Nonetheless, when it comes to Shaw Brothers martial arts
movies, it’s hard not to admit now (with a bit of time and less of a head up my
ass) that Executioners from Shaolin is one of the quintessential films
of the catalog and a great place to start for more curious newbies to kung fu.
It’s fun and thoughtful, while it never sacrifices its strong action
choreography and iconic characters for the sake of its story. Definitely a must-see.
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