Opening with a gloriously brutal raid on a village, Killer Dart sets the stage for this multi-layered revenge story with gusto. It is bold with its drama, dynamic with its action sequences, and strong with its characters. And it is no wonder why, especially when you consider just who is behind the camera.
Directed by Ho Meng-Hua, Killer Dart brings together everything he learned making his Monkey King films, regardless of this story’s straight-forward propulsion, all genres are in play, making Killer Dart absolutely unforgettable when it comes to early Shaw Brothers releases.
And it all begins with this wonderfully lensed nighttime raid. With a strong use of widescreen, Meng-Hua captures a most theatrical action sequence, getting good use out of the production design. It is glorious in nature and speaks to the timeless appeal of these chop socky classics. Later, he will film fight sequences on unlevel mountains and make sure that every bit of the screen is used.
With the death of his wife by these ruthless marauders, Liu Wen-Lung (Fang Mian) embarks on a journey which will lead to unexpected twists and turns. He has a disciple, Cheung Pooi-Saan as Hu Chi-feng, and his son, eventually played by Yueh Hua as Liu Yu-long, in tow, but little does he expect - thanks to the misguided antics of his servant - to adopt an orphaned girl (later portrayed by the wonderfully skilled Chin Ping) along the way.
With this new “family”, he has a crisis of faith and decides to raise the kids and train them in his deeply mystical form of martial arts rather than avenge his wife. Good choice as this particular form of revenge takes time. The kids grow up and master their own form of martial arts, with swords, supernatural abilities (levitating a thrown wine bowl is a fine, fine moment in the movie and another comes when Ping violently starts chopping trees with her hands) and killer darts being the focus, but the truth of what happened gets twisted as a love triangle emerges thanks to a rather forward young woman and the evil Chu Chao (Ma Hong Sin) and his gang. 
Written by screenwriter Du Yun Zhi and full of some wonderfully realized tracking shots, Killer Dart is surprising in a number of ways, making its optical effects more believable thanks to the deep characters.
The film finds new life on the Shaw Brothers Classics, Vol. 1 from Shout! Factory, which includes 11 classic martial arts films from the famous Shaw Brothers' library, featuring some of their greatest stars Jimmy Wang Yu (One-Armed Swordsman), Cheng Pei-pei (Come Drink With Me), Lo Lieh (King Boxer), Ku Feng (The Five Venoms), and David Chiang (The Boxer From Shantung). Many of these films, like Killer Dart, are debuting for the first time on Blu-ray.
The disc also contains a new commentary from James Mudge, Veteran Hong Kong Film Critic. While not as well known as some of Meng-Hua’s other films, Killer Dart is an absolutely wonderful trek through some deeply spiritual martial arts.
Home Video Distributor: Shout Factory
Available on Blu-ray - June 13, 2023
Screen Formats: 2.35:1
Subtitles: English
Audio: Mandarin: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono; English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono
Discs: Blu-ray Disc; 11-disc set
Region Encoding: Locked to Region A
Rampaging bandits are pillaging peaceful Chinese villages until the grieving dart master Liu Wen Lung sets out with his student, son, and servant to avenge his murdered wife and set things right. Renowned director Ho Meng-Hua - soon to be internationally famous for The Flying Guillotine - masterfully balances action with intrigue and romance, as the path of righteousness is littered with lies ... and corpses.
Video
Presented in a 2.35:1 aspect ratio, Killer Dart gets its hands bloody and never once rinses its sword as beauty is birthed in this same blood, all with its audience in mind. The poetry on display comes through in the lush fields, the crispness of the interiors and the haunting exteriors, and the sudden violence which echoes throughout the film, including its big finale in which a lone figure takes down all manner of soldiers. Black levels are strong throughout, bringing out nice details in both the loud and quiet moments of this epic adventure. The night scenes included here are truly rich with layers and those tracking shots are glorious to behold in 1080p.
Audio
For this movie, the audio offered is a Mandarin Mono DTS-HD Master Audio With New Subtitle Translation. Everything is front-loaded and works to create a pleasant home viewing experience throughout.
Supplements:
Commentary:
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There is a new commentary from James Mudge, veteran Hong Kong film critic, which is quite detailed.
Special Features:
Included on the disc are the following supplemental items:
- NEW Audio Commentary With James Mudge, Veteran Hong Kong Film Critic At easternKicks
- Celestial Trailer
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Composite Blu-ray Grade
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MPAA Rating: PG-13.
Runtime: 121 mins
Director: Cheh Chang
Writer: Cheh Chang; Kuang Ni
Cast: Jimmy Wang Yu; Chiao Chiao; Hsiang Chun Li
Genre: Acttion | Drama
Tagline:
Memorable Movie Quote:
Distributor: Shaw Brothers
Official Site:
Release Date:
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date: June 13, 2023
Synopsis: Yu is a two-armed swordsman who is betrayed by a jealous rival, but initially seeks a life of simple pleasures until an accidental meeting with another patriot sets him back on the road to bloody, brutal vengeance.
