Who's the better kicker? Wong Tao or John Liu?

[Morgoth Bauglir]

I think I heard that in the Secret Rivals commentary Wong Tao says that he's a better kicker than Liu. But what do you think? I'm going with Wong Tao. He's clearly better at jumping kicks, and I think he's also better and more versatile with his grounded kicks. He's also quicker on the draw and more explosive.

I should also point out that I know nothing about kicking. I can only imagine being able to do the kicks that these guys can do.

[paimeifist]

Speaking from purely a fan standpoint as well.. I will also take Wong Tao here. He is one of the most explosive screen fighters in general, and definitely when it comes to kicking.. (Compare to John Liu and more so Tan Tao Liang while still great in different ways, look like they pull their kicks almost everytime.

I'd also say Wong Tao is more versatile, a lot of times it seems like John Liu is only kicking with one leg..

John Liu is probably more fluid and flexible from what I've seen, and it seems he can extend em a little better, but personally those are not my favorite traits when seeing a kicker!

But the main reason I take Wong Tao is for his explosiveness, one of my favorite traits in screen fighters. While I haven't seen much Bruce Liang, I feel he and Wong Tao have some similarities in intensity, stature, and kicking style/expertise!

I feel like John Lius kicking style really falls right in the middle of the classic kickers who aren't Hwang.. He doesn't have the intensity of KYM, Liang, or Wong Tao, but is more flexible and fluent, while not quite Tan Tao Liang in this regard either.

HJL gets his own category as I feel like he isn't as good at what each of these men are BEST AT, but he can do everything very well, which makes him top dog overall.. Where all of these guys are lacking in a least some regard.

I'm watching Secret Rivals tonight now... Been a few years since id seen it last.

[Morgoth Bauglir]

Looks like you had kicking on the mind haha. How often do you think about kicking, I'm curious. I think about kicking all day, and I kick all day. And then I go home, watch movies, and do more kicking. Anyways:tongue:John Liu is a great kicker, but I find him too repetitive. Tan Tao Liang on the other hand, I think he's one of the elite, ahead of Bruce Leung, and at the top of the mountain with Cassanova and Hwang. Like Liu, Tan does hold back a lot, but he has killing power. I'm always in complete awe when Tan is kicking.

[paimeifist]

I think Tan is one of the elite too, because he does things you haven't seen anyone else do. His flexibility and control is just insane. I have to say I have only seen 2 movies I believe though, Shaolin Deadly Kicks, and Shaolin Heroes. He definitely showed some explosiveness in Shaolin Heroes IIRC.

I'm not familiar with Casanova Wong at all really.

I've been thinking of kicking more lately for sure, haha. It started with watching multiple movies featuring Hwang in a row, purely by chance.

[Morgoth Bauglir]

Yep it was Hwang that sparked my interest in kicking too. I decided, I have to kick! And more importantly, I have to see all of his movies, and I have to see all of his kicks. I've hurt myself so many times doing flying kicks. Finally I had to admit to myself that I have no vertical leap, and now I don't get hurt anymore. But I can still watch:smile:

[DragonClaws]

Its been too long since I watched a Wong Tao film so my memory of his kicking skills is a bit hazy. Ive seen The Eagles Claw, Secret Rivals, The Hot The Cool The Vicious. Can anyone recommend any others?.

[Kwok Choi]

I'm not familiar with Casanova Wong at all really.

watch?v=2XypwbtTHic

[Morgoth Bauglir]

Death Duel of Kung Fu is a good one. I've always thought of it as the ultimate kickfest. I think the best movie he's been in is Iron Swallow. He's one of the main actors, but not the lead.

[DrNgor]

I think Tan is one of the elite too, because he does things you haven't seen anyone else do. His flexibility and control is just insane. I have to say I have only seen 2 movies I believe though, Shaolin Deadly Kicks, and Shaolin Heroes. He definitely showed some explosiveness in Shaolin Heroes IIRC.

I'm not familiar with Casanova Wong at all really.

I've been thinking of kicking more lately for sure, haha. It started with watching multiple movies featuring Hwang in a row, purely by chance.

Paimei, if you want to see Tan Tao Liang at his best, you owe it yourself to watch The Himalayan, especially the finale. He was choroegraphed by Sammo Hung there. The last fight, with him, Angela Mao, Chen Sing, and a bunch of stuntmen is one of my favorites.

[DragonClaws]

Death Duel of Kung Fu is a good one. I've always thought of it as the ultimate kickfest. I think the best movie he's been in is Iron Swallow. He's one of the main actors, but not the lead.

Cheers Morgoth, Ill have to watch those two. The names are familiar but I couldn't recall Wong Tao starring in them.

[Morgoth Bauglir]

Cheers Morgoth, Ill have to watch those two. The names are familiar but I couldn't recall Wong Tao starring in them.

You would definitely remember Death Duel of KF. Wong Tao and John Liu are the leads, and ace kicker Eagle Han Ying tries his hand at the Hwang Jang Lee role. It's the same formula as Secret Rivals. One of the heroes is good with his hands, the other is good with his feet, and they team up to fight a villain who is good at both styles.

[DrNgor]

Its been too long since I watched a Wong Tao film so my memory of his kicking skills is a bit hazy. Ive seen The Eagles Claw, Secret Rivals, The Hot The Cool The Vicious. Can anyone recommend any others?.

Frankly, from what I remember of Secret Rivals, he did almost as much kicking as he did handwork in that one. Did he do much kicking in Ninja Thunderbolt/To Catch a Ninja?

[GOLDEN DRAGON YIN-YANG]

Well now, speaking of high flying kicks.

I am going with Wang Tao too.

GD Y-Y

[TheKungFuRobber]

John Liu is a good kicker, but Wong Tao is still better. Speaking of Wong Tao and John Liu- I am still working on 7 custom DVDs for movies starring both actors so that should be cool.

[Chinatown Kid]

I never thought much of Wong Tao's kicks, even though he was reportedly a Taekwondo stylist. I think there was a reason why most films had him playing a fists/hand stylist and left the kicking expert role to other actors. The best I ever saw him kick was in the awful Slaughter in San Francisco with Chuck Norris as the villain.

[Jesse Smooth]

On 4/9/2015 at 11:33 AM, Chinatown Kid said:

I never thought much of Wong Tao's kicks, even though he was reportedly a Taekwondo stylist. I think there was a reason why most films had him playing a fists/hand stylist and left the kicking expert role to other actors. The best I ever saw him kick was in the awful Slaughter in San Francisco with Chuck Norris as the villain.

I know it’s an old post, LOL. Look up TIGER MAN. He does his most kicks there. You even get to see Him and Tommy Lee take babes to an amusement park and ride a roller coaster!

[DrNgor]

On 5/29/2021 at 7:25 AM, Jesse Smooth said:

He does his most kicks there.

Despite playing the Southern Fist Master in Secret Rivals, he actually does a lot of kicking in that one. He also plays a tae kwon do coach in Promising Young Boy, although he doesn't fight.

[laagi]

Both are good kickers but never struck me as having the greatest on screen presence. Maybe that's just me though.

[Jesse Smooth]

On 5/30/2021 at 4:50 PM, DrNgor said:

Despite playing the Southern Fist Master in Secret Rivals, he actually does a lot of kicking in that one. He also plays a tae kwon do coach in Promising Young Boy, although he doesn't fight.

I forgot about that one. I’d like to see a nice remastered print of that!