Let's discuss The Killer Meteors

[Killer Meteor]

This was my first encounter with Jimmy Wang Yu, 9 years ago now, and he really doesn't suit the Jiang Hu style setting, but his deadpan put-downs of lesser foes are great fun! And it's got the King Kong theme!

Oh, and Jackie plays a villian. He's quite good actually, I'd rather see him cackle maniacally then be in one more baby-comedy movie!

[masterofoneinchpunch]

Ancient review of mine on the film, as you can see I was somewhere in the middle for this review:

Sometimes if an actor has not had a successful run as a lead then it behooves him or her to take a supporting role. After the box office failings of New Fist of Fury and Shaolin Wooden Men, Lo Wei decided to cast Jackie Chan as a villain in a secondary position to the lead of Jimmy Wang Yu (who starred in many popular pictures as a one-arm martial artist and many not-so-popular films as a two-arm martial artist.) Wang Yu’s stardom was slowly fading at the time of this picture, but he had a much more recognizable name than Jackie’s. Useless tidbit: according to Jackie, he made 12,000 HK dollars to Wang Yu’s 50,000. The Killer Meteors was based on a Gu Long novel and it was the first of two films to be shot in Korea (To Kill with Intrigue was the second.)

Jimmy stars as Mi Wei the Killer Meteor, a sarcastic master of Kung Fu who know no equal. He is so feared and admired that criminals will cut off there fingers in repentance rather than to face his possible wrath and master martial artists serve underneath him. I like Wang Yu’s performance with his cocky panache (he even keeps track of his enemies all 491 of them) and glib humor though his character is a bit too “strong” for there to be any real conflict in this film. Also, his weakness at martial arts is very noticeable because of the direction and his slowness (Master of the Flying Guillotine is a good example of where he is choreographed well.) But who needs adroitness of movement when you carry a cool weapon like the Killer Meteor. Only three people have seen this weapon and two of them are dead. Most of the time he uses it as a club on the criminals who are undeserving to die by it’s true form.

Wei is approached by Qing, the famous Blue-Robed Swordsman who must bring him to the Celestial House of Hua the Hearty (Wa Wu Bin in some translations/dubbings) before July 15 (according to subtitles) or he will die. Mi is intrigued by this, for he is always looking for a challenge worthy of him, and goes with Qing. When he meets Hua (Jackie Chan) he finds a sick man who needs the Killer Meteor’s help. Hua was poisoned by his wife in his Ginseng soup (otherwise a normally healthy soup) and she gives him a yearly dose of antidote. Hua does not like this arrangement and wants his wife dead and the antidote all for himself. Wei accepts this challenge though he learns of the four feared bodyguards of his wife: Blazing Star whose weapons are the Plum Blossom Needles (always a favorite of mine, though for weapons so small they always seem to be caught), Killer Hands with fierce suction grip (like GI Joe’s Kung Fu grip with vacuum power), Black Lama whose good at black magic and Taoist Ghost (Lee Man Tai) who is good at tricks. Now these characters sound good, but there use in the film is less than desirable.

Unfortunately the plot is weak. There are too many twists and turns that negate previous plot points and characters who are not whom they seem to be. Or are they? My notes on this film is huge but explaining even half of them would be tedious. Generally if plots become overburdened then you can fall back on the martial arts in the film. With Jimmy being the lead character and unless he was being doubled for flips the martial arts are too slow and the action too pedantic. Also there is not a lot of fighting. There are two main fight scenes between Jackie and Jimmy. The first fight scene is the best while the finale is a bit disappointing. It takes place on wooden poles with stakes on the ground – resembling an action scene from Jimmy’s earlier film Master of the Flying Guillotine and a bit like Yuen Woo Ping’s Iron Monkey, though both are much more interesting. Luckily for the viewers Mi Wei shows off his killer weapon.

The Killer Meteors was a failure at the box office and did not help either Jimmy’s or Jackie’s career. Along with the confusing story and mediocre action scenes there are too many problems with this film ranging from the overuse of the “lifted” King Kong score to really cheap costumes. Yet, I cannot say I wholly disliked the film. I liked Jimmy’s performance, Jackie’s “bad guy” performance, some of the story, the beautiful scenery and the titular weapon. Since there is a plethora of better Jimmy Wang Yu and Jackie movies there is no reason to recommend this film unless you are into watching all of Jackie’s or Wang Yu’s films – like me.

DVD Notes: the two editions of this film I own are the Columbia version and the Simitar Platinum Series version. There is very little difference between the two. Both versions are full-screen (with the credits running letterboxed), both have Mandarin dialogue (though for some reason the Simitar version says Cantonese which is wrong), both have the same dubbed version and both have the same running time (104m). The Columbia version does have English subtitles though.

[Killer Meteor]

Killer Meteors is one of those movies that is pretty rubbish but I nevertheless bond to - hence my user name!

[masterofoneinchpunch]

Killer Meteors is one of those movies that is pretty rubbish but I nevertheless bond to - hence my user name!

I have bonded to many so-so films in the past as well. It always helps to have at least one good character to like or a few good-to-great action/fight scenes.

Heck I've seen this film several times. At worst Wang Yu always has a few good ideas in his 1970s and earlier films.

I remember several reviews stating that a movie like Shinjuku Incident was Jackie's first bad-guy role. Heck there missing this film (and some of his even earlier roles like Police Woman)

[GOLDEN DRAGON YIN-YANG]

I have this movie and always enjoy it for the most part. To me it was a hoot to see a villainous Jackie Chan. And Jimmy Wang Yu is as always Jimmy Wang Yu. Whom for the most part I have like 80% of his movies I have seen through the years.

GD Y-Y

[inframan]

Is this the one that lifted Star Wars music? Did that scene make to any DVD's or is it cut?

[Killer Meteor]

Is this the one that lifted Star Wars music? Did that scene make to any DVD's or is it cut?

No, it was Magnificent Bodyguards that borrowed the Star Wars music. Killer Meteors mostly borrows from a recording of the score for the 1933 King Kong.

[Killer Meteor]

So...as this is written by Gu Long, do the characters appear in any of his novels?

[FightingFool]

Genuinely loved this long time ago when saw it from UK vhs, if remember right cover photo was actually from dragon fist(which also had release by same company). It was tho one of first kung fu movies ever  saw and probably impressed by almost anything asian made back then as those were lot superior to stuff like Ninja master with lee van cleef or chuck norris flicks(it did not help many of those were cut here).

Now decades later when saw it as proper version(dub was imo horrible) to call it average is bit understatement. It drags at times and action is not great. Some locations and ladies are eye candy tho..In end fight dialogue

Spoiler

just before killer meteor is used

makes this one of lamest ending ever although it`s kind of funny too.

Was nice to view it from 88br but I am not JC completist and think no need for revisit anymore so to trading/selling pile it goes.

Edited June 23, 2022 by FightingFool

[浪子快刀]

I think this is a failed Gulong film. Jackie Chan is not suitable for acting in any film based on gulong's novels.

[Killer Meteor]

On 7/25/2022 at 8:49 AM, 浪子快刀 said:

I think this is a failed Gulong film. Jackie Chan is not suitable for acting in any film based on gulong's novels.

I think Jackie comes off better in the film than Jimmy Wang Yu does. The latter barely seems awake.

[Cognoscente]

Jimmy was sleepwalking through his role.

[AlexanderFu]

I thought it was awesome. TO Kill with Intrigue also.

What did you think of Wang Yu in Deadly Silver Spear? He plays it basically the same.

I love any Gu Long movie, be it Chor Yuan or Taiwan produced. it's like an escape to another world. 

[浪子快刀]

6 hours ago, Killer Meteor said:

我认为杰基在电影中的表现比吉米王宇更好。后者似乎几乎没有醒来。

In terms of appearance, Wang Yu was handsome at least when he was young, and Jackie has never been suitable for acting as a swordsman. His vibe is so bad，I always think he looks like a hooligan

[Yihetuan]

4 hours ago, AlexanderFu said:

I thought it was awesome. TO Kill with Intrigue also.

What did you think of Wang Yu in Deadly Silver Spear? He plays it basically the same.

I love any Gu Long movie, be it Chor Yuan or Taiwan produced. it's like an escape to another world. 

Deadly Silver Spear is one of my favorites from Wang Yu. Gotta love yet another variation of the flying guillotine weapon and the battle in the snow at the end. But I have to say that I enjoy Blood of the Dragon even more. The ending of that movie just hits you in the gut. The director of that one, Kao Pao-shu had an interesting career as an actress, producer, writer & director. I would love to see a bio pic about her life made one day.