Sting of the Dragon Masters
aka When Taekwondo Strikes
Angela Mao has the fire in her eyes in this film
and is allowed to go the full measure in her fighting scenes. She has a
number of fights and is absolutely tremendous in them. The look that she
gets when she goes for the death blow is quite something to see.
The film takes place in Korea during the period
of Japanese occupation. A small group of Korean rebels under the leadership
of Jhoon Rhee are training in the martial art of Taekwondo to fight the
Japanese. As in most of these types of films, the Japanese are portrayed
as evil monsters.
Angela Mao and her mother run a restaurant and
though she is Chinese, she sympathizes with the plight of the Korean people
and certainly has no love for the Japanese. She is asked by Jhoon Rhee
to do them a favor and is soon involved in the action. She comes face to
face with Sammo Hung who plays one of the Japanese henchmen. Poor Sammo,
he gets kicked around more than an old soccer ball in this film. At one
point he even gets a big chunk of his leg bitten off..
Angela is absolutely fierce in this film, especially
in a scene in which the Japanese hurt her mother. It’s a great fight as
Angela is surrounded by a roomful of Japanese with drawn swords. She flicks
her ponytail behind her and goes to work. Need I say who leaves the room
still standing? She puts the art of Hapkido to good use in this and other
excellent fights.
Other than Angela’s scenes, much of the rest of
the film is fairly mediocre. The dubbed dialogue is almost painful to listen
to and the music belongs in soundtrack hell. But for Angela it is well
worth it.
