The Secret Rivals 2 (1977)

The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

Tells a fascinating and unsettling true story, and does so well, without pretending to have all the answers.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

SECRET RIVALS 2 is a sequel that sees the return of director Ng See-Yuen, star John Liu, and master villain Hwang Jang Lee. Anyone who's watched the first film will be surprised at the inclusion of the latter character, who was surely killed at the end of the previous movie. Fear not, it turns out that Lee had a vengeful twin brother who turns up seeking revenge in this action-packed instalment.The only man missing is Don Wong, who is apparently off on his travels somewhere, but fear not, a couple of his younger brothers take his place. And SECRET RIVALS 2 has the edge over its predecessor, proving to be more action packed and more exciting all round. Hwang Jang Lee's vengeance-seeking brother is a fine master villain and surrounded by evil aides, including the familiar likes of Phillip Ko and Corey Yuen. Even Yuen Biao and Yuen Wah have little cameos as two members of his eight-strong 'army'.There isn't a great deal of plot development or characterisation here, and poor dubbing still threatens to spoil things, but generally this is good stuff for the martial arts fan. The requisite training scenes are limited but fun to watch and the tournament bits are great. Best of all is the extended action climax, once again taking place in a deserted quarry, which goes to show that familiarity doesn't necessarily breed contempt.

When i first saw this movie in chinatown (london) back in 1977 i could not believe my eyes on the excellent kicking skills of john liu and ever since have been a very big fan of his, take my advice and see all of his movies if you can with secret rivals without doubt his best.

Saw that film twenty years ago in the cinema. Stands the test of time as one of the most detailed and sophisticated kungfu films. Thanks to the actors. Unbelievable good fighting scenes showing different types of kungfu styles. Brother of Silver Fox is really frightening.

Hwang Jang Lee and John Liu return in the sequel to the kung fu classic that began the careers of both actors. The story involves the brother of Silver Fox (Hwang's character from part 1) seeking revenge for his brother's death while searching for stolen treasure. Tino Wong appears as Wong Tao's brother. The action is nearly non-stop in this movie. John Liu is excellent, his kicks are in good form. Tino Wong's punches are fast and brutal. Hwang Jang Lee's kicks are spectacular and impressive as usual. The finale is fairly long and memorable. The choreography is more intricate than the first. Overall, a great film for kung fu fans.