Actually, I really liked this film a lot. Yes, it's goofy as hell in spots (or maybe there are just some cultural assumptions and motifs I am not getting), the opening battle sequence is obviously set on a sound stage, the mechanics of the pole winding sticks makes no sense, and the screenplay makes the Yang family members out to be dumber than dirt on more than one occasion, and the whole "8 Diagram" aspect basically come out of nowhere (at no point anywhere else in the film is the PaKua trigram and the philosophy associated with the I ching ever discussed) and then goes nowhere...
But still, the set piece battles will win you over, some of the acting isn't bad even to Western eyes (Gordon Liu is his usual fiercely charismatic self), lots of wild action and inventive martial arts choreography, costumes, trumpet fanfares, you name it, it's all in there in a heady and invigorating mix.
Highly recommended to fans of the genre.
But still, the set piece battles will win you over, some of the acting isn't bad even to Western eyes (Gordon Liu is his usual fiercely charismatic self), lots of wild action and inventive martial arts choreography, costumes, trumpet fanfares, you name it, it's all in there in a heady and invigorating mix.
Highly recommended to fans of the genre.