A grotesque epic of Chinese mumbo-jumbo from Chih-Hung Kwei, the director of "Killer Snakes". Phillip Ko, the brother of a boxer injured by an evil opponent, agrees to avenge his brother's pain by using supernatural powers to annihilate the evil opponent. In the process, Ko gets seriously distracted by some monks who use him to battle various forms of nasty evil.
In retrospect, the plot does not make a lick of sense, but the cinematic invention on display is mind-boggling. This is my favorite (supernatural) Shaw horror/fantasy flick because it just tries so damn hard to entertain. It features non-stop special effects of the gory, slimy, and optical variety, and powers forward at a blinding speed.
The script, by An Situ, piles one weird set piece on top of another. Skulls are opened and brains are molested; bats attack our hero and burn; alligator skulls pursue our hero through a temple; a man gives birth "Xtro"-style to slimy critters who grow into adults within seconds.
Shot in Thailand, Hong Kong and Nepal, "Boxer's Omen" simply looks amazing and captures each country's individual flavor with terrific montages of the local culture. The use of real temples and historical venues adds immeasurably to the overall authenticity. Despite the seriousness of intent and the great production values, the filmmakers know they are making mumbo-jumbo and have lots of fun with the rubbery effects and relentless laser light shows.
Most surprising, uncredited additions to the cast are Angus Scrim and Michael Baldwin. Scrim's famous cry of "B-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-y-y-y-y-y-y!!!!!!", lifted directly from the "Phantasm" soundtrack, is heard twice, as is Baldwin's screaming after he is pulled into the mirror in Reggie Bannister's bedroom; the breaking glass is heard also. On top of that, a dirge-like cue from Fred Myrow and Malcolm Seagrave's music score pops up.
Nobody but nobody does crazy supernatural horror like the Chinese.
In retrospect, the plot does not make a lick of sense, but the cinematic invention on display is mind-boggling. This is my favorite (supernatural) Shaw horror/fantasy flick because it just tries so damn hard to entertain. It features non-stop special effects of the gory, slimy, and optical variety, and powers forward at a blinding speed.
The script, by An Situ, piles one weird set piece on top of another. Skulls are opened and brains are molested; bats attack our hero and burn; alligator skulls pursue our hero through a temple; a man gives birth "Xtro"-style to slimy critters who grow into adults within seconds.
Shot in Thailand, Hong Kong and Nepal, "Boxer's Omen" simply looks amazing and captures each country's individual flavor with terrific montages of the local culture. The use of real temples and historical venues adds immeasurably to the overall authenticity. Despite the seriousness of intent and the great production values, the filmmakers know they are making mumbo-jumbo and have lots of fun with the rubbery effects and relentless laser light shows.
Most surprising, uncredited additions to the cast are Angus Scrim and Michael Baldwin. Scrim's famous cry of "B-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-y-y-y-y-y-y!!!!!!", lifted directly from the "Phantasm" soundtrack, is heard twice, as is Baldwin's screaming after he is pulled into the mirror in Reggie Bannister's bedroom; the breaking glass is heard also. On top of that, a dirge-like cue from Fred Myrow and Malcolm Seagrave's music score pops up.
Nobody but nobody does crazy supernatural horror like the Chinese.