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Poster of Death Duel of the Mantis

Death Duel of the Mantis (1978)

  • 90 min
  • Action
  • imdb logo 6.4/10 (65 votes)

Where to Watch in

Free

Purchase

Where to Watch in

Free

Purchase

Plot

In the bustling marketplace of a forgotten city, humble servant Hsiao Hai (Wa Chung Ting) endures a life of perpetual torment under the thumb of affluent businessman, Tin Hai Lu (Fei Lung). A chance encounter, however, lands him under the guidance of Master Lu, an adept practitioner of the exotic Chicken style kung-fu. Lu's underlying intent is to mold Hsiao into a formidable force to aid his business rivalry against a persistent tong. On the sidelines, Hsiao is also caught in a charming, albeit clumsy, pursuit of love with fiery Ho Hwa (Yin-fei Kam), the daughter of a local noodle vendor. A series of slapstick encounters leads Hsiao to demonstrate his newly acquired Chicken style kung-fu, earning him a promotion from Master Lu. Despite his advances, Ho Hwa remains unimpressed, rebuffing Hsiao's affection and even schooling him in kung-fu techniques unknown to him. Unbeknownst to Hsiao, Master Lu's wealth is built on illicit tax collections, a fact revealed by Ho Hwa. This sparks a change in Hsiao who secretly begins to return the stolen money to its rightful owners. Master Lu, in an unexpected twist, unleases his sinister trap, eliminating his rival tong with his lethal Chicken style. In the ensuing chaos, Ho Hwa and her father are forced to flee, realizing their kung-fu is no match for the power of Master Lu. The departure of Ho Hwa and her father ignites a rebellion in Hsiao, leading him to renounce his loyalty to Master Lu and join Ho Hwa and her father in their quest for revenge. In the tranquil countryside, Hsiao embarks on a rigorous journey to master the Mantis style kung-fu, under the tutelage of the noodle vendor, while Ho Hwa refines her Eagle Claw technique. Their combined knowledge of the Chicken style leads to the creation of a unique combat technique. The final confrontation sees Hsiao and Ho Hwa pitted against Master Lu and his gang. A ballet of acrobatic flips, spinning high kicks, and strategic movements unfolds, with Ho Hwa holding off the gang and Master Lu demonstrating his formidable power. However, victory only swings in their favor when Hsiao unveils a captivating series of spinning aerial kicks that ultimately overpower Master Lu's signature backward-pecking elbow strikes.

Where to watch Death Duel of the Mantis?

Death Duel of the Mantis is an action movie featuring Lung Fei and directed by Gwok Ching-Kong.

Death Duel of the Mantis is currently streaming for free (ad-supported) on Tubi TV.

It is also possible to buy Death Duel of the Mantis on Amazon Video.