Following the international success of Bruce Lee’s THE BIG BOSS (1971), Kung Fu had arrived in a big way. Independent movie distributors took advantage of the situation by releasing pretty much any Hong Kong action films they could get their hands on. Americanized versions of Chinese films flooded the mainstream, drive-in, and grindhouse cinemas. One such effort was director Ng See Yuen’s KUNG FU THE INVISIBLE FIST. Ng See Yuen was a talented filmmaker who learned his trade with the Shaw Brothers studio, and then went on to head up Seasonal Films and Golden Harvest. KUNG FU THE INVISIBLE FIST is one of the few films he produced independently. Everyone’s favorite home video company, Crash Cinema, unearthed a 35MM print of this classic for their DVD and VHS release, in widescreen for the very first time.

Judging from Crash Cinema’s cover credits, you’d think that Chen Sing and Yasuaki Kurata are the only two performers in the movie, when in fact KUNG FU THE INVISIBLE FIST is an all-star martial arts extravaganza! Besides the presence of the principals, the cast also includes Michael Chan Wei Man (CHINESE SUPER NINJAS, BLOODED TREASURY FIGHT, THE HEROES), Bruce Leung (FISTS OF FURY, THE FISTS THE KICKS AND THE EVILS, RETURN OF THE DEADLY BLADE), Chen Yuet San (BOLO, DEATH DUEL OF KUNG FU, JADE CLAW), Lee Ka Ting (LEGEND OF A FIGHTER, BLOODY FIGHT, THE CHINATOWN KID) and funny man Hon Gwok Choi (CRACK SHADOW BOXER, DRAGON’S CLAWS, FOUR INVINCIBLES) among others.

At the height of Japan’s power during World War 2, their government prepared to invade China and seize control of all Asia. The Japanese authorities send their bravest and most cunning warrior, played by Yatsuaki Kurata, to China as a spy. Kurata joins the gang of an infamous Chinese white slavery ring. Meanwhile, the local Chinese constables formulate a plan to crush the gang of smugglers. They assign Chen Sing and Bruce Leung to go undercover as criminals in a bid to keep tabs on the gang. Kurata and Chen Sing instantly recognize the other as elite adversaries, but keep their rivalry in check so as to avoid drawing suspicion upon themselves as they are both not who they claim to be. The tense situation in the ranks of the gang soon begins to unravel as allegiances are forged and trust is shattered. The situation boils down to an epic battle of mass proportions which may initiate the way for the Japanese invasion of China!

KUNG FU THE INVISIBLE FIST is essentially another one of those early Japanese versus Chinese martial arts flicks (along the lines of BLOODY FISTS, BLOODY FIGHT, and others) that portray the Japanese as completely evil. This paranoid viewpoint is shared in all these films, and is quite a stretch as far as realism is concerned. However, this pervading Japanese versus Chinese theme never ceases to amaze me. Because when this happens, the audience is always in for treat—we get to witness the centuries long battle for martial arts cinematic supremacy between Karate and Kung Fu. In the case of KUNG FU THE INVISIBLE FIST, its Karate legend Yasuaki Kurata against the perennial Eagle Claw Kung Fu champion, Chen Sing (in a rare heroic role). This movie is the perfect vehicle to exploit this angle, as its set during World War II. There are trucks, guns, and other reminders that you are not just watching another historic Chinese fable. Though guns are shown, they are never used; the gang prefers to use daggers and other blunt instruments on their opponents.

KUNG FU THE INVISIBLE FIST is directed by the talented and influential Ng See Yuen, who really focused on plot, drama, and characterization over outright action. This is a major surprise, because with a cast like this and the dominating Japanese versus Chinese theme, you’d think KUNG FU THE INVISIBLE FIST would be chock full of cross-cultural combat sequences. And yes, when we finally do get to the big battle in the last half-hour of the film, we are treated to a true gem of martial arts choreography courtesy of Kurata and Sing. But, it’s a long road getting there with the middle section of the film (about forty five minutes worth) containing no fight sequences whatsoever. This surely would not go over well with the usual Hong Kong action fans who expect to see a fight every five minutes. Yet the director uses this time in the movie to create suspense and character. He explores the inner workings of these gangsters and the tense situations that arise of being an undercover hero (or antagonist) thrust into this pack of wolves. At one point in KUNG FU THE INVISIBLE FIST, Chen Sing is captured by the gang with daggers piercing into his throat. His character is so self-assured and bombastic that he continues to taunt his captors. Its things like this that imbue these characters with spirit and personality, a testament to the genius of Ng See Yuen.