“Fury in Storm” is an unusual Taiwanese martial arts movie about two men of different nationalities who team up to fight against a ruthless Japanese gang boss, Ishihara, and his thugs, who terrorize the countryside. The story centers on a European preacher, Antonio, played by Patrick Kelly, wandering along a railway track while dragging a full sized wooden crucifix. Not knowing it is a setup, the driver of an approaching train takes pity on him, stops, and picks him up. Suddenly, a group of Japanese bandits appears out of nowhere and robs the train.
After getting what they came for, their leader, Ishihara, shoots Antonio in the shoulder and leaves him with nothing before taking off. Determined to collect his share of the loot, Antonio follows them to their hideout. Along the way, several of Ishihara’s men attack him. However, a wandering local Chinese kung fu expert, Hsu Long, nicknamed Dragon, appears unexpectedly, kills the Japanese, and rescues him. He also treats his wound using acupuncture. Hoping to bargain with Ishihara, Antonio then kidnaps his mistress, who runs a nearby casino, and the three eventually set off to confront him.
Story wise, this production is Hsu’s take on “Django” from 1966, the spaghetti western starring Franco Nero as a lone drifter who wanders the land dragging a coffin. At the same time, the narrative quickly echoes “The Stranger and the Gunfighter”, also known as “Blood Money”, due to the inclusion of Hsu Long, or Dragon. The Chinese title translates as “Dragon of the Earth”, a direct reference to the main character.
In the longer, ninety minute Taiwanese cut, the Japanese firing squad actually kills Antonio, yet he returns to life. This detail partly explains the bizarre spiritual and supernatural elements that appear throughout the story. Nevertheless, the screenplay, also written by Hsu himself, pays little attention to character development. Furthermore, judging by the inconsistent continuity in the editing, the production was likely completed in great haste. However, through Chen Kun Hou’s cinematography, the work acquires a distinctive Taiwanese look, showcasing rugged local landscapes, including dense forests, waterfalls, and riverbanks filled with gigantic rocks.
The chaotic opening train robbery is surprisingly engaging and impressively shot, featuring well thought out handheld camera work, zooms, overhead angles, low angles, and close ups. The action scenes, designed by fight choreographer Wang Yung Sheng, rely mostly on hand to hand combat, with plenty of kicks and punches and hardly any wirework. The simple stunts involve performers being tossed around, falling from rooftops, crashing through windows, or smashing into furniture.
With his imposing presence, Chang Yi, a former Shaw Brothers wuxia star, shines as the righteous Hsu Long, also known as Dragon. Trained in Peking Opera and skilled in taekwondo, aikido, and karate, he is given ample opportunity to display his martial arts ability. His movements, especially his kicks, are fluid and powerful. In contrast, the crucifix dragging Antonio, portrayed by Patrick Kelly, is presented as a greedy and miserable scam artist who also functions as comic relief and even beats women. Kelly largely performs with exaggerated facial expressions while constantly hauling the huge cross.
Taiwanese actor and action director Lung Fei, a prominent presence in Hong Kong action cinema, portrays the Japanese gang boss Ishihara. Although he has limited screen time, his memorable fight with Chang Yi stands out as the highlight. Chin Lu appears briefly as his blonde mistress, a tragic and weak character who simply follows the main leads. Cheng Fu Hung plays a Japanese thug whose eyepatch mysteriously switches from one eye to the other. Also look out for Shaw Brothers kung fu star Chiang Sheng, who appears as a Japanese swordsman in a very brief, non action appearance.
Overall, “Fury in Storm” is a low budget and rather strange Taiwanese martial arts movie with a clumsy and incoherent script. Still, the strong presence of Chang Yi and Lung Fei, along with the energetic action sequences, makes it a tolerable watch for fans seeking a quick fix.
