The film begins with a rather nifty assassination by a top hired killer (Stuart Whitman). However, when he goes to collect his fee for this job, he's repeatedly attacked and learns that he supposedly bungled the job. However, it's very obvious there's a lot more to this and he's just a pawn--but can he discover the truth or will one of many, many hired goons put an end to his career...and life?!
While all this sounds very exciting and the film is set in Hong Kong with lots of martial arts action, it isn't particularly compelling. Too often the film just seems to meander and plot holes are filled in by lengthy expositions (a sloppy story telling technique). But the biggest problem for me is that Whitman just didn't make that interesting a character and he didn't seem very believable. Not a terrible film but certainly not a very good one--proving that Hammer Studios might have been much better off sticking with horror films and not venturing into this sort of genre. A time-passer at best.
While all this sounds very exciting and the film is set in Hong Kong with lots of martial arts action, it isn't particularly compelling. Too often the film just seems to meander and plot holes are filled in by lengthy expositions (a sloppy story telling technique). But the biggest problem for me is that Whitman just didn't make that interesting a character and he didn't seem very believable. Not a terrible film but certainly not a very good one--proving that Hammer Studios might have been much better off sticking with horror films and not venturing into this sort of genre. A time-passer at best.