Those more familiar with Cheh’s work are undoubtedly going to get more out of this one
Thriving more on action spectacle than any form of actual cohesion, Shanghai 13 is an ambitious, if terribly under-budgeted slice of chaos. It can be messy, loud and occasionally exhausting, feeling more like a product of 70s Shaw Brothers than an 80s one; a whirlwind of ambushes, betrayals, disguises, and heroic last stands as a parade of iconic fighters squaring off in increasingly dramatic scenarios. A veritable hodgepodge of director Chang Cheh's past cinematic output, the choreography is typical of his usual energetic and relentless style; unfortunately, the rest of the film looks like he fell asleep in his chair, operating more as a string of vignettes that lack any of the polish found in his earlier studio works. Any attempt at character beyond archetypes is stripped down to the barest essentials, the film instead favouring the almost nonstop barrage of action. It ultimately operates as a vehicle for as many stars to appear as possible, with all the big names showing up for one scene before dramatically exiting moments later, rinse and repeat. To be fair, however, all the stars do deliver in their respective roles, be they Jimmy Wang Yu, who doesn’t even throw a punch, Danny Lee as a charismatic sniper or Andy Lau, who comes equipped with a cool white outfit and converse. Extra brownie points have to go to the super funkadelic musical score and banger of an opening theme. As a film that was initially planned to fund Cheh's own retirement, Shanghai 13 operates as a victory lap for the veteran director, delivering a film that's equally brainless and thrilling as it is deadeningly cheesy and undeniably entertaining.
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