The Avenging Eagle

The chief of the Eagle Clan gathers orphans and raises them as his personal killers. Chik Ming-sing is one of those children and now wants out of that life. When the clan comes after him, a stranger called Cheuk helps him in the desert. The stranger's purpose is not what it appears, and their setting off together turns into a matter of settling accounts for something done in the past. It is one of the martial arts films the Shaw Brothers studio made in the late seventies, but the story is darker than usual: the hero is not innocent and carries the weight of murders he committed himself. Sun Chung's direction uses wide angles and a moving camera even on studio sets. The pairing of Ti Lung and Alexander Fu Sheng is counted among the best in the genre. The fight choreography stands out for its variety of weapons; every fighter has an implement of his own.