88 Films UK Blu-ray Synopsis: By the early 1980s, Jackie Chan's popularity made him box-office gold. Thus when, midway through filming the sequel to his hit The Fearless Hyena, Chan walked off the production to defect to rival studio Golden Harvest, producer Lo Wei opted to complete the film with the help of stunt doubles and recycled footage. The result – the tale of two lazy cousins (Chan and Austin Wai Tin-chi) who join forces to avenge the deaths of their fathers – may not be pure Chan, but there are plenty of loony pleasures (including our hero fighting an adversary with his feet!) to be had. (92 Mins)

 

Criterion US Blu-ray Release: By the early 1980s, Jackie Chan's popularity made him box-office gold. Thus when, midway through filming the sequel to his hit The Fearless Hyena, Chan walked off the production to defect to rival studio Golden Harvest, producer Lo Wei opted to complete the film with the help of stunt doubles and recycled footage. The result – the tale of two lazy cousins (Chan and Austin Wai Tin-chi) who join forces to avenge the deaths of their fathers – may not be pure Chan, but there are plenty of loony pleasures (including our hero fighting an adversary with his feet!) to be had. (91 Mins)

 

Eastern Heroes UK DVD Synopsis: After the huge box office success of 'FEARLESS HYENA' it was to be inevitable that the producers would spawn a sequel. With two new great villains Heaven & Earth and brimming with fast paced slick martial arts fighting, 'FEARLESS HYENA 2' actually delivers a much more satisfying movie than its predecessor. 'FEARLESS HYENA 2' did not have the same impact at the box office largely due to the fact that Jackie was unable to commit to the movie due to other projects and so 'out-takes' from the original film were 'cut-in' to create more screen time for the up and coming star. But like a fine wine, as audiences have matured towards Kung Fu films, we can recognise that despite Jackie's absence, the movie still delivers accomplished fight action that rivals the original. (87 Mins)

 

Solid Gold Video UK VHS Synopsis: Jackie Chan stars again in the sequel to his famous box office success. Follow him and his brother as they set out to avenge the death of their father. Confronted with tumultuous odds, their hatred for their fathers killer carries them along on their quest for vengeance, until the almighty final fierce climax! (91 Mins)

 

Views: Known as Superfighter 2 in Germany and often hailed as a Jackiesplotation film or kung fu oddity, Fearless Hyena 2 has long been torn to shreds by critics and fans alike for multiple reasons. But recent 2K restorations of this unsung classic have shone a new light on it, urging today's audience to give it another chance and proving itself to be a highly entertaining kung-fu comedy overall. In an unrelated story to the first Fearless Hyena, the Heaven & Earth Devils are attempting to wipe out the Ching family and their kung fu style, almost completing their quest until two of the Ching brothers escape with their sons. But after 15 years of hiding, the Heaven & Earth Devils soon catch up with the Ching brothers and their young adult sons, resulting in the deaths of the two elderly fathers and forcing the young cousins into battle for revenge!

 

When the late Willie Chan left the Lo Wei Motion Picture Company to join Golden Harvest, he advised Jackie Chan to decide for himself whether or not to stay. Although he began work on the movie at the end of 1979, Jackie then broke his contract and left to join Golden Harvest where he would immediately go into directing The Young Master – something of which, it is said, that he had already been doing double-duties on at the time. Lo Wei responded with Triad threats that put Jackie in the line of fire, and it's no secret that the dispute was resolved with the help of the late and legendary Jimmy Wang Yu which allowed Chan to stay with Golden Harvest – albeit with a small debt owed that would later see him appear for Jimmy in films such as Fantasy Mission Force and Island Of Fire, respectively. But before he left the production, Lo Wei had managed to capture just under 30 minutes of footage with the fast rising kung-fu star, although this would only accumulate to a third of the actual movie overall. In order to complete the movie, Lo would re-write the story to introduce a secondary character, to allow for the focus to shift away from Jackie before the grand finale would bring them both together. But most notably, he hired stunt doubles to take Chan's place for the remainder of the movie, combining that with alternative takes and re-used footage from the first Fearless Hyena movie as well as from Spiritual Kung Fu and Dragon Fist. Of course, a similar technique was used on other Jackie Chan films such as Master With Cracked Fingers which was re-cut from Cub Tiger From Kwantung, and also in Fire Dragon which was re-cut from Fantasy Mission Force confusingly.

 

When he's not on screen, Jackie is doubled with two stand-ins, one that dresses in costume and paints his nose red in a nod to how his character from the first would often get by, and the other that wears fake facial hair – with this guy proving to be as equally talented as fighter than Chan himself. Starring alongside all the Jackie's is the wonderful Austin Wai Tin Chi (brother to Shaw Brothers queen Kara Hui) who had previously starred with Sammo Hung in films like The Shaolin Plot, Iron Fisted Monk, Invincible Kung Fu Master and Bruce Lee's Game Of Death as well as classics like The Fatal Flying Guillotines, 36th Chamber Of Shaolin, Avenging Eagle, Kung Fu Vs Yoga, and Five Super Fighters among many more. Popular Hong Kong film star Hon Kwok Choi appears once again as the comedy sidekick, oddly going by the name of Frog – the same character name he was known by when he starred in Jackie Chan's Cub Tiger From Kwantung back in 1973. It's also worth noting his appearance in Aces Go Places 1 & 2 from this period, since its catchy score is used throughout here alongside tunes from Raiders Of The Lost Ark and others.

 

South Korean actress Im Eun Joo, also known as Pearl Lin, stars in her last Hong Kong film role as a kick-ass member of the Beggar Clan, and had previously starred alongside Chan in the fantastic Dragon Fist under Lo Wei's direction. South Korean super-kicker Kwon Yeong Moon, who had starred alongside Austin Wai in The Shaolin Plot and Jackie Chan in Master With Cracked Fingers, co-stars as one of the big baddies and killer kung-fu fighter. Of course, as this was shot in 1979, he would go on to star with Jackie two more times in both Dragon Lord and in Project A the same year this was released. Prolific actor and choreographer Peng Gang returns once again for s fun role and fight scene, having previously appeared in Jackie's Lo Wei titles such as Snake & Crane Arts Of Shaolin, Spiritual Kung Fu, Half A Loaf Of Kung Fu, Dragon Fist, and the first Fearless Hyena – going on to work with him once again in Dragon Lord, one last time. In fact, a number of stars from the first return including the great James Tien and Chen Hui Lou who play the fathers of Jackie and Austin Wai, heading up the Beggar Clan one more time in a very similar take to their roles in the previous film.

 

The hard hitting and always impressive Yen Shi Kwan delivers another great villainous role alongside the aforementioned Kwon Yeong Moon as the Heaven & Earth Devils, and the late Dean Shek returns as the brother of his previous character from part one – this time playing a restaurant manager in a 10 minute scene that would go onto be cut from the original French release just like before. Kung Fu movie fans should also keep an eye out for familiar faces such as the popular Ma Chiang, who previously played Iron Head in Fearless Hyena, as a member of the Beggar Clan along with stars such as Wang Chi Sheng, Mickey Ng Mai Kei, Wong Chi Wai, Chin Wan Che, and Clement Yeh. The talented Chui Fat, who starred in over 150 films including countless Shaw Brothers titles and Jackie's own Dragon Fist, stars as the Master of the Fist King School while doubling duties as the films fight choreographer. Over the years, Chui has delivered some incredible action in martial arts classics such as Kung Fu Vs Yoga, Kid From Kwantung, Five Superfighters, The Master, The Innocent Interloper, Thunder Run, and Dreaming The Reality, as well as Donnie Yen's brilliant Crystal Fist, Cheetah On Fire, and Holy Virgin Vs Evil Dead, among many others. Of course, Fat would go on to direct his one-and-only feature with the hugely underrated 13 Cold Blooded Eagles starring Cynthia Khan...

 

Here, Chui delivers some incredible pieces of fight action with the 2K restorations highlighting his work even better than before. The opening 5 minutes alone whets the appetite when the Devils dish out a fast-and-furious attack on the Ching Family Manor, before going fist-to-toe with Tien and Chen at the riverside. There's a hilarious fight at a temple between Jackie and a feisty local after he proves to be a bad loser during a bet which is typically Chan, and genuinely funny at times, resulting in our hero defeating his foe by using his stinky feet and some trick moves. Around the halfway mark, viewers are treated to a fantastically choreographed showdown when the Heaven & Earth Devils attack the Beggar Clan, followed by the awe-inspiring battle in a burning house between the same villains and James Tien. While it just randomly appears (almost as if the start of their fight had been cut from the film) it still proves to be one of the highlights of the film as the three actors fight amongst the (very real) fire! The final third is introduced with a hugely exciting and wonderfully choreographed fight between bearded 'fake' Jackie and the Beggar Clan. This is another highlight of the film for me, with the actor in question proving to be as fast and nimble as the man he is portraying – in fact, it's difficult to confirm, but I do believe this particular stand-in may be the hugely talented Wang Chi Sheng; an actor and choreographer who knew Jackie's movements well having appeared with him in films such as New Fist Of Fury, The Hand Of Death, To Kill With Intrigue, Snake & Crane Arts Of Shaolin, Dragon Fist, Fearless Hyena, and Dragon Lord, as well as many other fantastic kung-fu classics. A clever edit later sees the real Jackie return to fight with them the following day, eventually coming to blows with Pearl Lin at the Inn where he is staying. A few more fights follow allowing Austin to bust a move when he is attacked at a kung-fu school, then Hon Kwok Choi going up against the villains by himself, and the Devils launching a deadly attack on Pearl Lin and Chen Hui Lou at their home. But it all comes to a close with a cleverly edited and exciting grand finale that effectively blends re-used shots and alternate takes from Fearless Hyena's last battle, with tightly worked new footage featuring a (possible third) Jackie double and the impressive Austin Wai in action.

 

The film was mostly shot in Taiwan and was nicely captured by Yau Kei, the cinematographer behind films such as The 14 Amazons, Bamboo House Of Dolls, Dragon On Fire, Zen Kwun Do Strikes In Paris, and The Man From Holland among many more, and brilliantly edited by the talent and prolific Vincent Leung – who was clearly the right man for the job with an eye for grabbing previous shots of Jackie since he had edited the original Fearless Hyena as well as most of Jackie's other Lo Wei efforts. Oddly enough, Leung would go on to edit many of Godfrey Ho and IFD Films' infamous cut-n-paste ninja movies, among many others. Interestingly, in past interviews, Jackie had mentioned that the end product of Fearless Hyena 2 was so bad that he even tried to stop its release by taking legal action, although Lo Wei eventually managed to release it 1983 regardless. It's a battle that mirrored that of Hollywood action-star Chuck Norris who had went through his own fight around the same time when Golden Harvest put Yellow Faced Tiger out in the US as Slaughter In San Francisco. Ironically, that was also directed by Lo Wei. But truth be told, there's actually a lot to enjoy in Fearless Hyena 2 from the broad comedy elements to the fantastic kung-fu action on offer – whether it's with the real Jackie Chan or not – which clearly saves it from becoming a complete write-off for kung-fu movie fans!

 

Overall: Packed full of great kung-fu action and neatly made, Fearless Hyena 2, is an entertaining and satisfying classic that deserves to be seen!

 

88 Films Blu-ray Extras: 2K Remaster, Audio Commentary with Frank Djeng & F.J. DeSanto, Fake Shemps Video Essay, Export Opening Credits, Japanese Theatrical End Credits, Hong Kong Trailer, Japanese Trailer, Stills Gallery

 

Criterion Blu-ray Extras: 2K Remaster, Trailer

 

Eastern Heroes DVD Extras: Jackie Chan Interview, Trailer

​

Get your copy HERE

​

Watch my unboxing video for this 88 Films release HERE

​

Watch my video retrospective on this film HERE