The Masked Avengers (1982)

Masked Avengers was another Chang Cheh film, this time starring only three of the Venoms. Three or six there was still plenty of action and hidden identities, and of course...blood.

The Good Guys led by Qi Shan Yun are searching for a band of masked killers for hire who have been plaguing the area. While staying at an inn, Zeng Jun thinks the cook is paying too close of attention to the goings on. After the cook saves their lives, Zeng goes out of his ways to befriend the prickly, secretive man. The Good Guys’ numbers continue to dwindle at the hands of the trident wielding murderers leading them to believe that someone within is a traitor.

It’s been a while since I’ve watched a Chang Cheh film so I pulled out my handy-dandy CC checklist:

No discernable female presence. Check. Usually, older actresses like Got Ping or Mama Hung were in a background somewhere. In this film a sister had a couple of minutes of air time. Might be a new record for this period

Bare oiled up chests and fishnet “shirts”. Check and check. Shirts were optional in his homoerotic atmosphere.

Sado-masochistic murders. Check. He went out of his way to kill people in torturous new methods.

Buckets O’ Blood. Check. Though he was rather restrained with his artery spewing extravaganzas. The body count was typical for one of his films. Don’t get emotionally attached to anyone.

Drama Queen Bad Guys. Check. Check. And Check. All the baddies made entrances like on a corny game show in the spotlight. “When he’s not murdering people for hire, he enjoys oiling his weapon and walks along the beach.”

Not necessary, but often included when the Venoms were involved: Mutton chops. Some very serious sideburn action going on.

The story was thin with the requisite hidden identities. Though one look at the cast list tells you all you need to know. I was disappointed Lo Meng couldn’t join Philip Kwok, Chiang Sheng, and Lu Feng for the reunion. But I was pleased with the addition of Chin Siu Ho. Also, the English title is misleading. The bad guys wore the masks. The Venoms and Chu Ko acted as martial arts directors. They sped things up this time around, no kung fu posing. The fights were fast and furious and the final fight gave an appropriate just deserts to the villain.

Because it was a Shaw Brothers production, it has been maintained through the years and still looks sharp. I’m not a huge Chang Cheh fan with his exclusion of female characters but his films from this era were always a spectacle to behold. Rated on a curve.

9 March 2026
Trigger warnings: A chicken was skewered. Numerous impalements and lots of blood. Drinking of “blood”. Sexual assault off-screen.

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