2
(nothing direct)
6
(violence, strong language, implications of rape)
2
(not worth the effort for most people)
All right all you Chan fans, "In Eagle Shadow Fist" (also known as "Eagle Shadow Fist," "Fist of Anger," and "Not Scared to Die") is one to overlook. This isn’t even really a Jackie Chan movie. He has only a supporting role and doesn't even appear in the final battle. His fight scenes are weak, and he gets beaten to a bloody pulp when he does get any action.
I have to respect the concept of the movie a little. It’s set in the 30’s when Chinese rebels were fighting for freedom from their Japanese oppressors. I don’t know how much of the specific story is true, nor do I know how severe the Chinese bias against the Japanese is compared to reality. I guess if it has any merits, though, it would be Chinese patriotism and heroic remembrance of past warriors.
I believe that if someone took this concept and made a modern movie it could have the potential to be moving and gripping. The tragic element is one of the few things well done, though the buildup isn’t dramatic enough to illicit a strong viewer response.
Basically a group of Chinese stage actors form a resistance movement. When they stand up to the Japanese they are hunted and killed. In a final attempt to leave the territory they are betrayed by their guide and slaughtered by the Japanese Karate masters. We see a lot of the Japanese talking about the Chinese and a lot of the rebels talking about the evil opressors with an occasional Martial Arts face off. There's not much else to tell which is a major reason this is a forgettable movie.
In addition, at some points when one scene cuts to a new one, the plot jumps without a good link of ideas which can get confusing. I found myself wondering how we got from point A to point C without a B in between. The sound quality, video quality, acting, dubbing, editing, pacing, and fighting are all poor. Better quality might make for a better movie experience, but I think it would be weak no matter what was done. The characters are strong enough that you might feel decent human compassion for those murdered and maybe a little appreciation for the unwavering courage of the rebels, but that's about it.
Morality
I would give this a PG13. There’s a bit of strong language, some bloody violence, and a few instances of attempted or implied rape. It’s nothing that would be too much for a teenager. In fact, I don’t think there was anything I haven’t seen on TV before.
Spirituality
The story taps into a common human desire for freedom from oppression. The Bible chronicles several instances of the Israelites crying out for deliverance from oppressors. There is nothing inherently spiritual about this particular struggle, though. They don't cry out to God, but they are fighting for a noble cause.
Final Thoughts
Unless you are a very die-hard Chan fan or especially interested in older foreign films particularly about the Chinese struggle for freedom I suggest avoiding this one.
Buying Guide
Considering the quality of the movie "Eagle Shadow Fist" (mine is actually “In Eagle Shadow Fist” but appears to be the only release using that version of the title) there sure are a lot of DVD options. More than some of Jackie Chan's better movies, actually. Unfortunately, details on them are scarce.
There are 2 stand-alone DVD's under the common title along with the one beginning with “In” (plus a few more that I've omitted because they don't give any details on what they have to offer - and if you look at the lack of info for the ones I have included that should give you some idea of just how little data the others offer).
There are at least 2 double features along with a box set called Jackie Chan's Greatest Hits.
Front Row Entertainment has a DVD that mentions being digitally remastered. I'm not sure of the audio or video specs, and there is no mention of any extras.
AFA's DVD says it's widescreen. Beyond that I have no idea.
Neither of the double features offers enough info to talk about so you can bet that it'll be unimpressive quality with no extras.
Jackie Chan's Greatest Hits is nothing of the sort. Any pack that includes "Fantasy Mission Force" instead of "Drunken Master" is NOT a greatest hits collection, it's just some of his pre-superstar work though it does include some good titles like "Half a Loaf of Kung Fu." One reviewer says that the quality is on par with VHS.
Final Recommendation:
Sorry I can't give you more details on your options; there is just so little information available. Unless you want to try out the remastered one just go for whichever offers the cheapest price because none outshine the others.
The DVD titled “In Eagle Shadow Fist” is from All Seasons Entertainment (sometimes listed as being from Beverly Wilshire) and is a single disc.
Video
1.78 widescreen:
While the ratio isn't specified it appears to be at or near 1.78 and is anamorphic. That's where the positives end. It's a terrible quality image. Objects in the distance sometimes look like little more than vague shapes the resolution is so poor. It's so bad it's hard to watch which doesn't help with a movie that's already not very good.
Audio
2.0 Dolby:
It has a lot of white noise and a poor mix with virtually nothing on the low end. However, the dialogue is clearly understandable, and there's even some fill in the rear channels.
English dub is all you'll get from this. It's not the worst dub I've ever heard, but it's a long way from good.
Packaging
The case is standard plastic
It has no interface. The movie plays; that's all that ever happens. Chapters are few and poorly placed with no list or selection menu for them.