Review: Despite its unintentionally funny title, DIRTY HO is a shining example of what makes some kung fu films rise above the rest. The direction and fight choreography (Lau Kar Leung and Gordon Liu) are expertly handled, the characters well defined and interesting, and the plot is layered but simple.

The fights, despite being more sedate than in many films, are cleverly staged, revealing insight into the character’s motivations and forwarding the plot. For a film with so much kung fu action, the pace is never overwhelming, as the action and story support each other, rather than the plot merely being a hook on which to hang the action. Much of this revolves around the stealthy way in which Gordon Liu’s character fights.

Wang is travelling to study antiques and relax, and must never reveal that he is a kung fu master, especially to his reluctant student. Likewise, many of his enemies don’t want to make the locals suspicious of their nefarious plot to assassinate Wang. This leaves many of the fights happening under seemingly innocent pretences. A wine tasting session is actually a battle of two masters, but those around the combatants are oblivious. Later in the movie, Wang pretends to cower behind a woman. Ho thinks he is fighting the woman, but it is actually Wang who is pulling the punches. The film is riddled with clever scenes like this.

The interplay between the two leads is superb, thanks to the script and the chemistry between the actors. DIRTY HO is a buddy movie in which one of them doesn’t want to be buddies. Wang is cunning and manipulative, and traps Ho into having to become his student and change his ways. The relationship evolves throughout the movie, and is reflected in their martial arts. At first, Wang is unaware of his opponent’s skill, then joins forces with him, learns the truth, and then learns the secret of hiding his mastery of the martial arts. By the end of the movie, the two fight side by side, with Ho using everything he has learnt in a frantic battle.

The bad guys are also an interesting bunch. The ‘Four Crippled Devils’ are a bunch of disabled fighters who turn out to be more than a bit special, and the camp ‘Seven Bitters of Eastern Rivers’ are outrageously funny and eerie at the same time.

The plot does leave some unanswered questions, however. It is never fully explained why Wang goes to such lengths to take Ho as his student, and the film ends abruptly, never reaching the plot twist that seems inevitable. Despite this, DIRTY HO is a brilliant old-school adventure that turns out to be good, clean fun.