This one deals with an aspiring kung fu champ, played by Cliff Lok, who wanders the countryside perfecting his own style of kung fu and helping people in trouble. (HeA s also an accomplished noodle maker, which makes for some clever, comical scenes.) Because of his choice of weapon, he gets mistaken for the venerable champion known as Bamboo Stick and is even aided by the real Bamboo StickA s top student (Chan Lung), who is traveling incognito to avoid recognition by enemies of his master. Lee Hoi San plays the local town boss whose no-good son (Cheng Kang Yeh) was mortally wounded after Bamboo Stick had come to the aid of a village girl forced into marriage with the son. LeeA s desire for revenge soon involves all three protagonists, neither of whom is good enough on his own to defeat LeeA s "Iron Head" technique. Eventually the real Bamboo Stick (Simon Yuen) coaches Cliff and paves the way for a final, grueling battle with the town boss.

The simple plot, which deftly mixes humor and suspense, offers an effective showcase for a series of well-staged fights showcasing the considerable talents of the four lead actors: the underrated Cliff Lok (KUNG FU GENIUS, DUEL OF THE SEVEN TIGERS); veteran Simon Yuen (the original DRUNKEN MASTER), who is frequently doubled by one of his sons (from the famed Yuen Clan); Chan Lung (also in KUNG FU GENIUS), in a rare heroic role; and perennial villain Lee Hoi San (aka Lee Hai Sheng, also in KUNG FU GENIUS). The tape quality of this Wu Tang Collection edition is not what it ought to be (see KUNG FU GENIUS), but it is a tad better than most of the releases in the Wu Tang lineup.