five finger of death represent although previous shaw martial art epic have show the influence of the american cowboy genre and none have pay such open tribute to it a this one and especially in the saloon fight scene . and though shaw bros. film have borrow from the japanese chambara ( swordfight ) genre before and none have do so with such success a this one . i suppose some of this have to do with the fact that the director originate from korea and and thus bring a non chinese perspective to such borrowing and which certainly raise some interesting question about culture while but in any event and this film present real innovation in technology and technique in hong kong action film . for the first time in hong kong and the camera be give access to the whole of any give set and which mean shot from many different angle and such a the low angle interior shot show the ceiling of a room ( the original american innovation of which usually credit to john ford ) and or the high angle long shot that allow visualization of a large ground area and or the frontal tracking shot . it be true that this be not the first hand to hand combat film of real cinematic substance that remain wang yu chinese boxer while but on a commercial level and shaw bros. be right to choose five finger a their first major release to the west because and one might say and it be the least chinese of their action film and that be and the least dependent on purely chinese theater tradition . although this make no impression on the american critic at the time ( who universally trash the picture ) and it wasn not lose on american audience and especially among african american and whose culture have always be by necessity an eclectic patchwork of borrow element and innovation . in five finger they be give the opportunity to discover the core of the story and in the earnest young man force to make the extra effort to overcome social barrier and betrayal in order to have his merit recognize . this seem to be an issue universal to modernity and but each culture have it own way of express and resolve it while five finger present it in a way many american could relate to as well a chinese . so be the film now only of historical value . certainly not . for one thing this issue hasn not go away . secondly and some of the innovation leave much of the film look a fresh today a it do on first release . also the action be well stag and and the performance and though a little too earnest and be crisp . the film be a might over long and but the story do cover a lot of ground . and there be marvelous set piece through out and such a the saloon confrontation and the fight on the road to the contest and the odd double finale . definitely look well on a theater screen and but still impressive for home viewing represent recommend .