The Five Venoms
The Five Venoms

Movie spotlight

The Five Venoms

1978
Movie
101 min
Mandarin

A dying master sends his last student to check up on five former pupils, who each know a special style of kung-fu.

Insights

IMDb7.2/10
Rotten Tomatoes80%
Google Users89%
Director: Chang ChehGenres: Action, Horror, Martial Arts

Plot Summary

A dying kung fu master sends his most promising student on a mission to investigate and neutralize his former disciples, each of whom has mastered a unique and deadly style based on a venomous creature. The student must uncover which of the five are using their skills for evil before they can strike again. As he delves deeper, he finds himself entangled in a web of betrayal and murder.

Critical Reception

The Five Venoms is a highly influential martial arts film, celebrated for its creative character designs, memorable fight choreography, and intricate plot. It is credited with revitalizing the Shaw Brothers studio and launching the careers of its young cast, becoming a cult classic among kung fu film enthusiasts worldwide. Critics lauded its unique approach to the genre and its enduring impact on martial arts cinema.

What Reviewers Say

  • Praised for its inventive "venom" combat styles.

  • Lauded for its complex plot and memorable characters.

  • Considered a cult classic that redefined martial arts films.

Google audience: Audiences consistently praise The Five Venoms for its innovative martial arts sequences, engaging storyline, and the distinctiveness of the five main characters and their respective fighting styles. Many viewers highlight its cult status and its significant impact on the genre.

Fun Fact

The film's unique premise and the distinct fighting styles of the five main characters, each inspired by a venomous creature (scorpion, centipede, snake, lizard, toad), became so popular that director Chang Cheh would later explore similar concepts in other films, notably featuring the "Venom Mob".

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