the shanghai cobra start out like gangbusters and with a rain soak diner scene straight out of shack out on 101 or gun crazy ( the first one ) . unfortunately the film then proceed to plod it weary way through a standard chan formula that be only barely enliven by the always wonderful mantan moreland . it a if director karlson blew half his budget in the first five minute and just get the set up the way he want it . watch the beginning and think about the phenix city story .