A Girl Fighter (Taiwan 1972)

Rating: **
Review Date: 6/24/18
Cast: Polly Shang Kwan, Tien Peng

The miscreant son of a wealthy man is a rapist and murderer who bullies a small town. The local police are too scared to arrest him, but the emperor is starting to apply pressure and wants the situation resolved quickly. A woman named Sima Mu-rong (Polly Shang Kwan) shows up and applies for the job of police captain so that she can bring the bastard to justice, but the local governor has issues with hiring a woman. Until she demonstrates her impressive kung fu skills, that is. The villain is captured early on, and the majority of the film focuses on his corrupt father trying to rescue him through negotiation, bribery, deception, and force. Sima refuses to back down from her mission of justice, which results in a fight to the death for everyone.

It's a simple tale and the action is rather sluggish, but the radiant Polly Shang Kwan is captivating to watch. She's an adorable ball of explosive fury, and her overwhelming intensity rivals that of Sonny Chiba. Her fight scenes are good and plentiful, although the film's style leans towards soft hits and stiff execution, which was popular at the time. It's a decent looking film, but it still doesn't match the quality that Shaw Brothers was producing at the time.