Alexander Fu showing off his fidget spinner of death.
Life Gamble is a 1979 martial arts action film released by Shaw Brothers, starring Alexander Fu Sheng, Kara Wai and the Venom Mob, and is one of the last old-school martial arts films from Shaw Brothers released in the 70s.
When a priceless artifact known as the He Huan Jade is stolen, killers from every corner are out to get it. With the martial arts clan leader known as Master Mao "The Gold Lion" as the main suspect owning the jade, everyone is coming after him, and it's up to Mao's assistant and bodyguard Yun-xiang (Alexander) to take on all comers.
Life Gamble contains examples of:
- Armor-Piercing Attack: Wu Hao, a martial arts practitioner known for storing massive amounts of chi in his body, can deflect throwing knives that hit his chest without leaving behind even a scratch. Unfortunately, he's no match for Yan Zi-fei's gauntlet, which fires spring-loaded projectiles, much stronger than knives hurled by hand, the same way an arrow is stronger than a bullet when hit.
- Artifact of Attraction: The entire plot of the film revolves around fighters in the martial arts world willing to beat up and kill each other over a valuable artifact called the He Huan Jade.
- Badass Cape: Practically 60 percent of the named characters.
- Bodyguarding a Badass: The hero Yun-xiang works as a bodyguard for Master Mao "The Golden Lion", himself another established martial arts expert.
- Epic Flail: Dark Action Girl Shuang-shuang uses a knife attached to a chain as her preferred weapon.
- Human Pincushion: Qiu Zi-yu after being ambushed by archers.
- Improbable Weapon User: Master Nan has a legion of bodyguards who fights using flags. It's actually more effective than it sounds however, combined with Cloth Fu, the flags can ensnare its target with ease and the flag-poles ends with razor-sharp blades.
- In a Single Bound: Most characters can cover great heights by jumping, thanks to copious amounts of Wire Fu.
- In the Back: Mo Jun-Feng kills the courtesan who betrayed him with a flung knife to her back, while she's in mid-gloating.
- Magnetic Hero: Qiu Zi-yu, a Retired Badass who had long since given up his killing ways, retiring to become a weaponsmith. More often than not fighters will come to him seeking a challenge, but after being defeated or fighting him to a draw they will part on friendly terms.
- Magnetic Weapons: Yun-xiang eventually defeats Mo Jun-feng, by using a pair of daggers with magnetic hilts. His magnetic daggers ends up absorbing Mo Jun-feng's projectiles, allowing him to mortally wound Jun-feng and win the life gamble.
- The Namesake: The titular Life Gamble finally happens in the hour-mark of the film, when Yun-Xiang and Mo Jun-feng decides to engage in one last life-or-death gamble.
- Red Baron: Most of the named characters have an awesome nickname establishing their dominance in the world of kung-fu: Mao Kai Yuan The Golden Lion, Xiao Tang The Deadly Whip, Zhen Liu-Xiang The Golden Hairpin, just to name some.
- Shoot the Bullet: Well, not exactly "bullet", but the film's finale involves a throwing-knife duel between Yun-xiang and Mo Jun-feng, where both of them attempts to one-up each other by trying to stab each other while knocking their opponent's flung daggers out of mid-air. Yun-xiang wins.
- Tricked-Out Gloves: Master Yan Zi-Fei's clawed gauntlet, which doubles as a Power Fist. It amplifies every punch he inflicts, and even have it's own hidden projectile launcher.
- Ultimate Blacksmith: Qiu Zi-yu is a renowned smith who had made the "Greatest Weapons ever wielded by the Masters of Martial Arts", whose reputation made him a frequent target of assassins.
- Walking Armory: Yun-xiang, who carries belts of throwing knives, had tonfas strapped to his thighs, and a flail carried on his waist. That's NOT including his fists...
- Weapon Twirling: Frequently used by Yun-xiang to intimidate his foes.
- Wuxia
