Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

7 Man Army Blu-ray Movie Review

7 Man Army is an action-feature based on an incredible legend. Inspired by a true story, 7 Man Army is an inspired and impressive Shaw Brothers classic. Filmed in Taiwan, 7 Man Army is a top-notch action spectacle featuring the great Ti Lung and David Chiang.

The tale explores the epic battle and confrontation between over 50 tanks and 20,000 Japanese soldiers. The epic battle took place on February 23, 1933. There were only seven unnamed men stationed at the Great Wall. The seven men were expected to battle against the 20,000+ soldiers and tanks.

The seven men were stationed and fighting a defensive strategy for five days before eventually surrendering in defeat. An inspirational action-epic about fighting battles against the odds, 7 Man Army is a great showcase for the ensemble cast – including stars Pai Chang- hsing (David Chiang) and Wu Chao-cheng (Ti Lung). An epic battle between two warring sides – one outnumbering the other – and the high stakes against the few brave warriors with the odds stacked against them.

The supporting cast of characters in 7 Man Army includes Chiang Ming-kun (Chen Kuan-Tai), Ho Hung-fa (Sheng Fu), Chu Tien-cheng (Kuan-Chun Chi), Chia Fu-sheng (Ying Bai), Private Pan Ping Lin (Yi-Min Li), Hsiao Hsuen-tsu (Hua-Chung Ting), and Hsi Yi (Miao Tien). The actors did solid work with the film. An enormous cast. The ensemble did a good job with the storyline and did solid work against each other.

The production scale is impressive and there were a lot of wonderful elements on display in the feature-film. 7 Man Army is a big canvas. The filmmakers had a lot of spectacle to showcase with the designs. A fantastic effort by everyone involved.

The cinematography by Kung Mu-To (The Singing Killer, The Boxer from Shantung) is spectacular and the visuals are outstanding. The aesthetic achieved is something to appreciate and behold. A strong visual effort by Mu-To.

The score composed by Chen Yung-Yu (The 36th Chamber of Shaolin, Clans of Intrigue) is engaging fun. The music brings the production to life. The 7 Man Army score has a fun and epic score. A solid and engaging backdrop to the sensational filmmaking.

Edited by Kuo Ting-hung (Triple Irons, The Singing Killer), 7 Man Army is a solid and well-edited feature. The editing adds a lot to the production. The pace is well-done and the overall energy achieved by the editor is noteworthy.

Written by Kuang Ni (The 36th Chamber of Shaolin, Dirty Ho) and Cheh Chang (The Shanghai Thirteen, Five Elements Ninjas), 7 Man Army is a fun script. Ni is a talented screenwriter and did good work in collaboration with the director. The screenplay does a solid job exploring this legendary historical account, which became quite an impressive saga of the many against the few.  

Directed by Cheh Chang (Vengeance!, Duel of Fists), 7 Man Army is an epic and a worthwhile gem by the director. Chang is one of the best Shaw Brothers filmmakers and the scale achieved with 7 Man Army is fantastic. No Shaw Brothers fan should go without seeing this underrated gem by Chang.

7 Man Army Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Released on Blu-ray by Shout Factory, 7 Man Army is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high-definition in the 2.35:1 widescreen. The high-definition presentation. The high-definition transfer is impressive and there are a lot of strengths to the encode. Color reproduction is excellent and the presentation manages to highlight a wonderful visual showcase. The action scenes are also well highlighted by the encoding. The crisp action-packed visuals add lot of wonder to the film. The presentation on the release isn't perfect but it is well-done throughout and there are no egregious issues in consideration of print wear or damage – such as specks of dirt or telecine wobble. Shout Factory made an impressive effort with the encode based on the materials provided.

7 Man Army Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release includes a selection of lossless audio options: Mandarin DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (with English subtitles) and English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono. The lossless audio is impressive. An excellent soundstage. Dialogue is clear and well reproduced. The score is nicely integrated into the presentation. Sound effects for the action scenes are well highlighted, too. The English subtitles are impressive and free from egregious spelling or grammatical errors.

7 Man Army Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Audio Commentary with David West

Armed and Dangerous – Actor Lu Feng on his time at Shaw Brothers Studios (HD, 28:41)

Right-Hand Man – with Hsieh Hsing, the action director of 7 Man Army (HD, 22:04)

Celestial Trailer (HD, 1:08)

Still Gallery (HD, 1:20)

7 Man Army Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

7 Man Army is a worthwhile and entertaining classic from Shaw Brothers. Ti Lung and David Chiang deliver impressive performances. The actors are essential to the gravitas of the production. The historical epic is well worth seeing. The action impresses with great stunt choreography. The great collaborations between Ti Lung, David Chiang, and Cheh Chang are wonderful – some of the best collaborations in cinema history.

It is worth noting that the Ti Lung / David Chiang Collection stands as the greatest box-set to date in the Shout Factory Shaw Brothers Classics line – with several great classics and a few masterpieces or near masterpieces. The release for 7 Man Army includes audio commentary, an interview, a photo gallery, and a trailer. Highly recommended.