Rest assured gentle reader, that when you see a man or woman kicked off of a balcony from 3 or 4 floors up then landing on a moving truck, jumping off onto the ground and dodging various forms of Kung Fu, Gun Fu, Car Fu, Sword Fu and whatnot, you have seen the real thing done without the benefit of safety straps, harnesses or air bags.

The high points for me were the interviews with Hong Kong stunt greats Sammo Hung, Yuen Wo-Ping and Lau Kei-Leung. Low points were when the flick goes into a movie within a movie bit. This segment called "Lost Time" is used to illustrate how stunts are realized by combining behind the scenes action with the finished goods. However, the narrative gets so convoluted and confusing that it quickly becomes tiresome.

All in all this a fascinating film. The danger inherent to these stunts is explained by many of the people interviewed with a smile and a shrug of the shoulders. Just a days work, a days work that sometimes only pays $25, a sum that many Americans wouldn't even get out of bed for. Like director Robin Shou, many of the stunt people involved with the Hong Kong film colony go on to direct other Chop Socky films themselves.

If you have any interest in these kind of films, this an engrossing tour de force and expose of the Hong Kong stunt scene. Given the cracked skulls, broken ribs, and shattered bones these guys and gals endure to bring you classics such as these you owe it to them and yourselves to check this movie out.