Today’s quick review: The Five Venoms. Obeying the wish of his dying master, Yang Tieh (Sheng Chiang), the last student of the House of Five Venoms, sets out to hunt down the school’s five other pupils and keep them from using their extraordinary martial arts prowess for evil. His search takes him to a village where the five incognito warriors have gathered, each one with his sights on a fortune guarded by an old friend of their master.
The Five Venoms is a martial arts action movie that pits five fanciful styles of kung fu against one another. The plot revolves around one unassuming warrior’s quest to uncover the identities of his master’s other students, determine which ones have become corrupt, and ally with the good ones to stop them. The movie combines fast-paced martial arts action, impressive stunt work, and a surprisingly intricate story to make for a solid popcorn watch.
The Five Venoms is at its best when it’s actually embroiled in martial arts. The fights are fast-paced and cleverly choreographed, while the unique skills of the five wayward pupils add some flavor to the combat. The film is on shakier ground when it’s actively trying to impress. The pupils’ skills work just fine in combat, but the flashy demonstrations of them fall flat. Fortunately, The Five Venoms lets its fighters prove themselves directly.
The Five Venoms also does more with its story than might otherwise be expected. The movie takes a contrived premise and weaves it into a satisfying mystery revolving around the unknown identities of the House’s students. The students’ attempts to learn the identities of their colleagues, gain an advantage over each other, and locate the money lead to some good twists. The plot is not high art, but it manages to be engaging throughout.
Watch The Five Venoms when you’re in the mood for some martial arts action with a dash of plot. Neither the story nor the characters can match the best the martial arts genre has to offer, but they do make The Five Venoms a viable pick for fans of the genre. For another martial arts movie in the same vein, try Sword Masters: Two Champions of Shaolin. For one with even more high-flying stunts and better execution, try Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.
7.2 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.0 for a good mix of action and plot.