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Not to be confused with the Jet Li film from 1992, Lu Chin-ku's THE MASTER demonstrates the influence that Jackie Chan's comedic kung fu hits had on the marketplace, with Shaw Brothers trying to get a piece of the pie by signing up Chan's opera school colleague Yuen Tak for a similiar outing. Martial arts master Jin Tianyun (Chen Kuan-tai) decides to punish a trio of miscreants called The Three Devils who have been terrorizing the countryside. However, he is betrayed during the ensuing battle and must flee. Meanwhile, young martial arts student Gao Jian (Yuen) must suffer through a torturous punishment, thanks to a pair of obnoxious senior students (including Chan Lau). Later that evening, a badly injured Jin appears on Gao's doorstep and, at his request, Gao keeps the man's presence a secret while he recuperates. In return, Jin agrees to secretly teach his benefactor some useful kung fu, instead of the flashy nonsense his school is practising. Emboldened by his new abilities, the youth takes it upon himself to try and bilk one of the Devils but the miscreants soon overrun Gao's school, turning it into a haven for criminals.
While an excellent martial artist and every bit as exuberant as one could possibly wish, Yuen Tak does not quite demonstrate the necessary presence and charisma for a leading man. He probably would have improved with more experience but was mostly only seen in small parts from here on. However, Yuen went on to become one of the industry's finest choreographers, so his talents were certainly not wasted. Much of the comedy is more grating than genuinely funny (though it is rarely as shrill as that found in some of the lower grade independent features from this period) and the storyline is not only predictable but suffers from some awkward transitions (at one point, an entire year passes but we are not aware of it, until one character mentions this fact in passing). These weaknesses aside, this remains a good second tier Shaw outing with some splendid fighting, particularly Yuen's prolonged duel with Johnny Wang Lung-wei (sporting the requisite white wig and eyebrows as the Devils' leader), who wields a deadly ponytail.
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