Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.0

Legend of the Fox Blu-ray Movie Review

Legend of the Fox is an energetic and entertaining old-school kung-fu classic. Produced by Run Run Shaw (The Flag of Iron, Heroes Shed No Tears), Legend of the Fox is based on the novel by Louis Cha. With the addition of associate production by Lieh Chen (Heroes Shed No Tears, The Sentimental Swordsman), an engaging cast brings the film to life. Featuring performances by Siu-Ho Chin, Feng Lu, Sheng Chiang, Linda Chu, Phillip Chung-Fung Kwok, Helen Poon, Min-Yi Huang, and Li Wang.

Siu-Ho Chin believed himself to be an orphan and has wondered about his family. On a cold and rainy night, Siu-Ho Chin meets a group of men staying together in a shelter. A storm wages on outside as the men shelter themselves together. During the course of the rainy night, Siu-Ho Chin learns the origins of his heritage. Siu-Ho Chin’s adopted father tells him about his biological father (Feng Lu).

The father was a legendary swordsman who had a coveted sword. Determined to return the sword to its rightful owners, a duel unfolds and ultimately the father was killed. Now that the story is known about the death of his father, Siu-Ho Chin seeks revenge for the death of his biological dad. Can revenge bring the satisfaction Siu-Ho Chin seeks? Will it be a dish best served cold?

Siu-Ho Chin does an excellent job in the feature-film. The lead performance is one that suits the story well. There is much to appreciate about the dramatic aspects of the role and what is required of the performer. The supporting cast does a terrific job, too. The supporting ensemble has fun with the production and the characters.

The production management by Mona Fong (Lifeline, The 36th Chamber of Shaolin) is one of the standout elements of the film. The filmmaking highlights excellent art direction by Johnson Tsao (The Battle for the Republic of China, The 36th Chamber of Shaolin). Tsao is a superb art director and the production highlights some great visual sensibilities. The production looks impressive in spades and there are a lot of great elements throughout the film. A well-rounded showcase for the design team.

The makeup art by Ji-Cheng Liu (Hong Kong Godfather, Lightning Fists of Shaolin) and Hsu-Ching Wu (Ambitious Kung Fu Girl, Heroes Shed No Tears) works well for the production. The makeup is nicely highlighted alongside the hair styling by Yen-Lien Peng (How to Choose a Royal Bride, Love with the Perfect Stranger). The costumes by Chi-Yu Liu (Tiger Killer, The Eight Diagram Pole Fighter) are also beautifully designed and an essential part of the atmosphere and style of the production.

The stunts for Legend of the Fox by Sheng Chiang (The Sword Stained with Royal Blood, Avenging Warriors of Shaolin), Phillip Chung-Fung Kwok (The Bride with White Hair, Princess and Seven Kung Fu Masters), and Feng Lu (Masked Avengers, The Kid with the Golden Arm) are a sight to see. The stunts are top-notch and the stunt coordination added a lot to the filmmaking. The stunt choreography is essential to the film and the kung fu mastery of the performers.

The score composed by Eddie Wang (Return to the 36th Chamber, Fists of the White Lotus) is a terrific element of the film. The score by Wang builds and helps to explore the action-packed filmmaking in spades. An incredible effort by Wang. There is a lot to cherish about the music.

The cinematography by Hui-Chi Tsao (Lightning Fists of Shaolin, Five Deadly Venoms) is beautiful, lush, and thoroughly engaging. The noteworthy cinematographic style evokes a specific atmosphere and style for the kung-fu action and adventure. Tsao did an impressive job highlighting the action choreography and the production design.

Edited by Hsing-Lung Chiang (The Avenging Eagle, The Love Eterne) and Yen-Hai Li (The Eight Diagram Pole Fighter, Disciples of the 36th Chamber), Legend of the Fox is well-paced fun. The editing doesn’t allow the film to overstay its welcome with draw-out scenes. The editing is integral to the film.

Written by Cheh Chang (The Shaolin Avengers, Inside Forbidden City) and Kuang Ni (Ambitious Kung Fu Girl, Disciples of Shaolin), Legend of the Fox is a fun script and one that audiences will enjoy. The fun atmosphere and dialogue helps the film to succeed. The characters add to the experience. A solid screenplay for the Shaw Brothers action classic.

Directed by Cheh Chang (Five Elements Ninjas, Five Deadly Venoms), Legend of the Fox is a success and one that audiences won’t want to miss. Chang is an incredible filmmaker and someone with a complete knowledge and understanding of action filmmaking. Legend of the Fox is well worthwhile.

Legend of the Fox Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Released on Blu-ray by Shout Factory, Legend of the Fox is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high-definition in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 2.35:1 widescreen. The release features a solid looking high-definition presentation. The print used for the transfer is generally clean looking with only slight imperfections.

The transfer does have some digital-noise-reduction (DNR) and could look better in some scenes (a more filmic presentation is always preferable) but it is still a solid transfer. Colors look decent overall. Sometimes the cinematographic style seems a bit too subdued in color reproduction despite looking reasonable on the whole. The transfer could have been improved with a newer 2K or 4K restoration. Even so, the available transfer is a solid looking one that is still generally pleasing.

Legend of the Fox Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release is presented in Mandarin DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono (with English subtitles). The release does not include an English dubbed option. The audio on the release capably handles dialogue reproduction. The soundtrack is well reproduced. The score is a highlight on the release. The English subtitles are well done and are free from egregious spelling or grammatical errors.

Legend of the Fox Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Original Theatrical Trailer (HD, 3:26)

Celestial Trailer (HD, 1:10)

Legend of the Fox Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Legend of the Fox is an entertaining martial arts classic for Shaw Brothers fans. Fans of the genre won't want to miss this worthwhile gem. The artistry is impressive and there are a lot of great production merits. The release features a solid high-definition presentation and lossless audio. The release has an unimpressive supplemental package. Despite the lack of better supplements on this feature, Legend of the Fox is well worthwhile. Recommended.