Bullet Points: Champ Against Champ
The synopsis of a movie on any of the various streaming services can often make or break a movie’s chances of being watched.
Take a movie like Champ Against Champ starring Dragon Lee. I was in the mood for some Dragon Lee, but with so many Dragon Lee titles at my disposal, why did Champ Against Champ get the nod? Because the synopsis told me that Dragon Lee loses a leg and then replaces it with a steel leg, that’s why!
- Tai and the Revoloution: Lee Wan (Dragon Lee) and his father are on a journey to see an old friend of the family, Master Lin Ko Tai. Master Tai’s daughter Sing has been promised to Lee Wan and the two are about to meet for the first time before their arranged marriage. But Master Tai has other pressing matters and has to leave before Lee Wan arrives. Master Tai is the leader of a revolution that plans on overthrowing the tyrant that is running things… that tyrant’s name is Master Kai (because why not have two main characters with similar names!?) So Master Tai and some of his fellow revolutionaries head south to meet up with some allies that will aid in their quest to defeat Master Kai.
- Destination Unknown: Master Tai and his entourage’s trip south is a short one as they are almost instantly stopped by Master Kai’s goons led by Chang. A fight breaks out, Master Tai manages to slip away during the commotion, but he doesn’t make it out unscathed. An injured Master Tai is taken to a nearby inn… where it just so happens Lee Wan and his father have stopped for a bite to eat after their long journey. It doesn’t take long before Chang and the rest of Kai’s goon squad show up and more fighting breaks out… but this time Lee Wan is in the mix!
- Poison Arrow: Lee Wan only proves to be a temporary setback for Master Kai and his evil forces… before you know it Master Tai is taken prisoner, Lee Wan’s father is killed and Lee Wan, after valiantly fighting the odds and getting more than his fair share of licks in, ends up with a poison arrow in his leg. Master Kai orders his men to leave Lee Wan for dead as they return to their home at Devil’s Lair.
- The Stars Align: Don’t despair Dragon Lee fans, Lee Wan does not die, instead he is found conveniently by his future wife Sing. When he wakes up Lee Wan makes the startling discovery that his leg has been amputated below the knee (did Sing perform the procedure??) as it was the only way to prevent the poison from spreading and killing Lee Wan. But Lee Wan feels sorry for himself, referring to himself as a cripple who will not be able to provide for his future wife and even going so far to say he’d be better off dead. But then Lee Wan is reminded of a great one legged fighter, one fashioned himself an artificial leg made of steel. In another convenient twist… that great one legged fighter was actually Sing’s grandfather… oh and another thing, the room where Sing’s grandfather trained and where her grandfather’s book of training secrets is located is on the same property that Lee Wan has been convalescing at this whole time.
- Steel Justice: After Lee Wan is back to 100% health and has created his own steel leg and mastered the fighting style developed by Sing’s grandfather, Lee Wan is ready to kick some Master Kai ass and rescue Sing’s dad Master Tai. I would like to call out how awesome the sound effect is when Lee Wan uses his steel leg to kick a foe or an object… it is the icing on the cake for what is nearly 30 minutes of solid fight scenes as Lee Wan runs the gauntlet in order to defeat Master Kai.
You won’t find any of Dragon Lee’s exaggerated Bruce Lee mannerisms in Champ Against Champ as this was a movie where Dragon Lee got be Dragon Lee and not a Bruce Lee clone. It was an opportunity that Dragon Lee made the most of, even sporting the longer hair as a way to repackage him for an audience who was accustomed to seeing him trying his best to look and act like Bruce Lee.
If you are accustomed to reading some Bonus Bullet Points, you’ll want to scroll down…
- AKA: Champ Against Champ is also known as Twelve Gates of Hell, which to me is a more fitting name given the plot of Lee Wan traveling to The Devil’s Lair and all the obstacles he must overcome before getting to the devil incarnate, Master Kai.
- Favorite Quote #1: “You’d be the last person I’d give it to, you stinking turd! Rot in hell!”
- Out of Place: I am no Bruceploitation expert, but it felt like the opening scene where Lee Wan (traveling alone and not with his father) has his fight with an obvious crazy man (and the crazy man’s two friends) was either taken from another movie or it was meant to kick off the third act.
- Favorite Quote #2: “You stupid, treacherous mule-headed, old bastard!”
- If You Ever: …wanted to see a Dragon fight a fire breathing man, then Champ Against Champ is the movie for you.
- Favorite Quote #3: “What are you doing here, you long-haired son of a she-goat?”
