5 Deadly Venoms [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC] Reviews

It's not a martial arts movie. It's a mystery/suspense movie with martial arts. If all you're looking for is action, you're going to be disappointed. And it's a Venom's movie. These guys weren't martial artists, they were gymnasts. None of the Venom movies has the fights you'd find in a movie with Gordon Liu or Lau Kar Wing.

As for it's reputation, maybe it has gotten overblown, but on the other hand, I think it was the next martial arts movie, after KING BOXER and ENTER THE DRAGON, to break out big time in the States. So when you look at its reputation you have to factor in its historical significance and the patina of nostalgia that's covered it. After all most people haven't seen anything but badly English dubbed bootlegs for decades, if they've seen it at all. Not to mention have the knowledge to place it in context with it's contemporaneous Shaw productions, much less the non-Shaw productions.

Eh, it's worth watching so you can see what all the fuss is about and then decide whether it's worthy of it.