SCORPION KING (which I saw under the title OPERATION SCORPIO) boasts some of the finest production values you're ever likely to come across in a martial arts movie. (When one grew up watching the Poverty Row kung fu movies that played theaters in this country during the 1970s, the A picture production values of more recent fare is striking, indeed, by comparison.) There are several things in SCORPION KING that lend it distinction: the hero draws his own manga (which ties in nicely with the notion of the illustrated kung fu manuals everybody's after in many of these movies) and he prepares himself for his eventual kung fu training by first joining a bodybuilding group. (This could've come right out of Bruce Lee's TAO OF JEET KUNE DO.) The late (and truly great) Liu Chia-Liang plays the hero's "Noodles Kung Fu" instructor.

"Operation Scorpio" is not one of the best HK action flicks you can find. The story is only mildly engaging, and at times utterly confusing. The martial arts choreography is unique and fascinating (in one of the fights, superhuman strength is pitted against superhuman agility; in another one, we have "scorpio-style" kung fu vs. "eel-style" kung fu!), but a bit too "exaggerated" for my tastes. I'd say there is about 40% wirework and 60% physical skill involved, but even that percentage is still to be admired. One other thing the film lacks is star power: Chin Kar Lok is likable, but not strong enough to carry the entire film as a lead (but that girl he rescues is incredibly lovely). Overall, if you just skip to the last 20 minutes and the three main fights, you won't have missed much. (**)

Hong Kong, the 1920s. A young man from poor beginnings dreams of being a hero, and spends most of his time training and learning about kung fu and bodybuilding, much against his father's will. He helps a servant girl escape from a ruthless businessman, whose goons then come after them, and terrorizes the young man's uncle's noodle restaurant. The uncle turns out to be an old, reformed Triad assassin, who now helps the young guy become proficient in martial arts. It's all-out Karate Kid style with "wash the wok" instead of "wax on, wax off". The kung fu villain is the ruthless businessman's son, who has a trademark scorpion style that looks cool although it is quite silly and surely completely unrealistic.But the story, which develops over time, has an epic feel, good characterization, great kung fu and is generally very entertaining. The young hero is very sympathetic and provides a good protagonist to root for. The romance dimension remains undeveloped, though, which is a bit disappointing. Otherwise a great movie.My rating: 8 out of 10.

When I saw OPERATION SCORPIO, I never thought I would see such a fantastic villain in Yuen Jeung. His kicking abilities are the best I've seen since Hwang Jang-lee in the 70's classics. There was wire use in the film, but Yuen didn't really use wires in his fights as his acrobatics and kicks were superb. Sadly, it is a tragedy that Yuen died a while later.