The Daredevils and Ode to Gallantry: Two Venom Mob Films: Limited Edition – Eureka Video (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Dates: Hong Kong, 1978 (The Daredevils), Hong Kong, 1982 (Ode to Gallantry)
Director: Chang Cheh (Both Films)
Cast: Lo Mang, Chiang Sheng, Wong Lik, Sun Chien, Lu Feng, Philip Kwok (The Daredevils), Philip Kwok, Tang Ching, Lau Wai-ling, Wong Lik, Sun Chien, Candy Wen, Yau Chui-ling, Chiang Sheng, Chu Ko, Ricky Cheng (Ode to Gallantry)

Release Date: March 24th, 2025 (UK), March 25th, 2025 (USA)
Approximate Running Times: 108 Minutes 19 Seconds (The Daredevils), 100 Minutes 47 Seconds (Ode to Gallantry)
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (Both Films)
Rating: 15 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: LPCM Mono Mandarin (Both Films), LPCM Mono English (The Daredevils)
Subtitles: English (All Films)
Region Coding: Region A,B
Retail Price: £19.99 (UK), $39.95 (USA)

"Set in Republic era China, The Daredevils follows Yang Ta-ying (Lo Mang) as he sets out to avenge his father, a military commander who was murdered in cold blood by Han Pei-tsang (Wong Lik), a thief-turned-soldier who killed Yang's father - along with the rest of his family - to take control of his estate and his army. With the help of his friends Chen Feng (Chiang Sheng), Fu Quanyi (Lu Feng), and Xin Zheng (Sun Chien), he sets out for justice. Then, in Ode to Gallantry, a lone martial artist nicknamed "Mongrel" is continually drawn into an intense struggle between several warring martial arts clans after he stumbles across the Black Iron Token, which entitles the owner to have any wish granted by Xie Yanke (Wong Lik), a brutal kung fu master." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4/5 (The Daredevils, Ode to Gallantry)

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfers, "1080p HD presentations on Blu-ray from masters supplied by Celestial Pictures."

The Daredevils and Ode to Gallantry come on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 44.8 GB

Feature: 24 GB (The Daredevils), 18.4 GB (Ode to Gallantry)

Both films are in great shape; flesh tones look correct, colors look very good, image clarity and black levels are strong, and compression is solid.

Audio: 4.25/5 (All Audio Tracks)

The Daredevils comes with two audio options, a LPCM mono mix in Mandarin and a LPCM mono mix in English.

Included are removable English subtitles for the Mandarin language track and removable English subtitles for Mandarin text when watching with the English language track.

Ode to Gallantry comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in Mandarin with removable English subtitles.

All of the audio tracks are in great shape; there are no issues with distortion, dialog comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and action sequences sound robust.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an interview with Hong Kong cinema scholar Wayne Wong on the Venom Mob titled Deadly Venoms (18 minutes 10 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with East Asian film expert Frank Djeng (NY Asian Film Festival) and martial artist and filmmaker Michael Worth for The Daredevils, an audio commentary with action cinema experts Mike Leeder and Arne Venema for The Daredevils, an audio commentary with Frank Djeng and Michael Worth for Ode to Gallantry, an audio commentary with Mike Leeder and Arne Venema for Ode to Gallantry, reversible cover art, a slipcover (limited to 2,000 copies), and a booklet (limited to 2,000 copies) with cast & crew information for both films, an essay titled Chang Cheh and The Venom Mob written by James Oliver, and information about the transfer titled Notes on Viewing.

Summary:

Chang Cheh directed The Daredevils and Ode to Gallantry. He is known for One-Armed Swordsman, Golden Swallow, The Boxer From Shantung, The Water Margin, and Five Venoms. The Daredevils and Ode to Gallantry are two of nineteen films that are connected to a collective group of actors named the Venom Mob. Besides actors, the other main contributor to these films is director Chang Cheh, who directed eighteen of the nineteen films.

The Daredevils: When a man looking to avenge the murder of his father is also killed, his friends vow to kill the man responsible for both deaths.

Though the Daredevils take on the all-too-familiar revenge scenario, it does put an intriguing twist on it. Where most revenge-themed martial arts films feature a protagonist who is on a mission to avenge the murder of someone close to them, The Daredevils pulls a twist like Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho and replaces its protagonist with his friends who continue the original quest for revenge. That said, the doubling of the revenge adds potency to the hero’s quest.

Acrobatics are central to the story that unfolds; the group of friends who are avenging their murdered friend use them to further their quest. Besides posing as acrobats, they use their acrobatic skills to help them get into well-guarded places like a warehouse with military weapons. Also, acrobatics play a significant role in many action sequences. That said, when it comes to stunts, action, and training sequences, all of these are exemplary.

Despite being action-heavy, the narrative really has no glaring issues. There is just the right amount of exposition, and things move quickly. Also, the narrative does a superb job building momentum to a lengthy bloody finale filled with heroic deaths. When it comes to the performances, the members of the Venom Mob show why they are the main attraction. Ultimately, though, The Daredevils is not one of Chang Cheh and the Venom Mob’s stronger collaborations; it is a film that is always a lot of fun.

Ode to Gallantry: A wanderer who looks like another man is drawn into a battle between two clans.

Though two men outwardly appear indistinguishable, inwardly they could not be more different. Where one man is carefree and virtuous, the other man is selfless and often gets into trouble because of his wicked deeds. That said, martial arts films frequently feature mistaken identity, and Ode to Gallantry executes it superbly.

While the protagonist tries to avoid being mistaken for any man, there is a battle between two clans who are both trying to obtain the Black Iron Token. When the protagonist accidentally comes into possession of the Black Iron Token, he’s granted a wish by Xie, an unbeatable martial artist who punishes those who are wicked. Instead of capitalizing on his newfound power, the protagonist refuses to make a wish, which angers Xie, who forces him to learn martial arts.

As great as all of the performances are, the standout performance is Philip Kwok (Five Deadly Venoms), who portrays the protagonist with a doppelganger. The scenes involving mistaken identity are mostly lighthearted moments, and they provide most of the humor. Another performance of note is Wong Lik’s (The Flag of Iron) menacing portrayal of Xie. His character's fighting skills are unmatched, and all characters fear his wrath.

The well-constructed narrative moves briskly, and there are an ample amount of well-timed twists. The stunts, action, and training sequences are all exceptional, saving its biggest and best action set piece for the finale. Ultimately, Ode to Gallantry is an exemplary martial arts film and one of the Shaw Brothers better post-1970s films.

Eureka Video’s The Daredevils and Ode to Gallantry: Two Venom Mob Films brings together two films, gives them strong audio/video presentations, and includes informative extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer