Martial Law: Lo Wei's Wuxia World – Eureka Video (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Dates: Hong Kong, 1968 (The Black Butterfly, Death Valley), Hong Kong, 1971 (Vengeance of a Snow Girl)
Director: Lo Wei (All Films)
Cast: Chiao Chiao, Yueh Hua, Tien Feng, Yang Chi-Ching, Fan Mei-Sheng, Ku Feng (The Black Butterfly), Yueh Hua, Angela Yu Chien, Chiu Chien-Ying, Chen Hung-Lieh, Lo Wei, Chao Hsiun, Lee Kwan (Death Valley), Li Ching, Yueh Hua, Ku Feng, Tien Feng, Lisa Chiao Chiao, Paul Chang Chung, Huang Tsung-Hsun, Lee Kwan, Sammo Hung Kam-Bo (Vengeance of a Snow Girl)

Release Date: August 18th, 2025 (UK), August 19th, 2025 (USA)
Approximate Running Times: 110 Minutes 43 Seconds (The Black Butterfly), 99 Minutes 12 Seconds (Death Valley), 122 Minutes 54 Seconds (Vengeance of a Snow Girl)
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (All Films)
Rating: 15 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: LPCM Mono Mandarin (All Films)
Subtitles: English (All Films)
Region Coding: Region A,B
Retail Price: £19.99 (UK), $39.95 (USA)

"In 'The Black Butterfly', a good-hearted thief acts as the Robin Hood of the martial world, robbing from the rich to give to the poor - and they begin by stealing a fortune in gold from a group of five ruthless bandits holed up at Five Devils Rock. Then, in 'Death Valley', the Lord of Chao Manor (Lo Wei) is murdered by his niece (Angela Yu Chien), leading to a bitter fight to claim his land and a clash between a hired swordsman (Chen Hung-lieh) and the Lord's heir apparent (Yueh Hua). Finally, in 'Vengeance of a Snow Girl', a young woman (Li Ching) takes revenge for her murdered parents, who were killed in a dispute over the legendary Tsui Feng sword - leading to a final showdown on frozen ground." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3.75/5 (The Black Butterfly, Death Valley), 4/5 (Vengeance of a Snow Girl)

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfers, "1080p HD presentations of all three films."

The Black Butterfly and Death Valley come on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 44.3 GB

Feature: 23.1 GB (The Black Butterfly), 21.1 GB (Death Valley)

Vengeance of a Snow Girl comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 38.9 GB

Feature: 34.1 GB

These transfers are on par with other already existing HD sources. Colors and flesh tones look correct, image clarity and black levels are strong, and there are no issues with compression. Although some digital noise reduction is noticeable, it does not detract from the viewing experience.

Audio: 4.25/5 (Death Valley), 3.75/5 (The Black Butterfly, Vengeance of a Snow Girl)

Each film comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in Mandarin with removable English subtitles. All of the audio tracks are in good shape; dialogue comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced. That said, Death Valley sounds robust, while the other audio track sounds more confined.

Extras:

Extras on the disc with The Black Butterfly and Death Valley include an audio commentary with action cinema experts Mike Leeder and Arne Venema for The Black Butterfly and an audio commentary with Mike Leeder and Arne Venema for Death Valley.

Extras on the disc with Vengeance of a Snow Girl include an interview with Hong Kong cinema scholar Wayne Wong on the life and work of Lo Wei titled Hong Kong Hustle (20 minutes 7 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles) and an audio commentary with Mike Leeder and Arne Venema for Vengeance of a Snow Girl.

Other extras include a reversible cover art, an O-card slipcase (limited to 2,000 copies), and a 24-page booklet (limited to 2,000 copies) with cast & crew information for each film, an essay titled A Pillar of Traditional The Life and Work of Lo Wei written by Camille Zaurin and information about the transfer titled Notes on Viewing.

Summary:

Lo Wei directed The Black Butterfly, Death Valley, and Vengeance of a Snow Girl. He is best known for directing two Bruce Lee films and six Jackie Chan films. Lo Wei’s career can be broken into two distinct halves: before and after Bruce Lee. His output before Bruce Lee mostly consisted of Wuxia films, a genre that he excelled at. Though he is most known for Bruce Lee and films he made after those two films, one should not undervalue his contributions to the Wuxia genre.

The Black Butterfly: A masked thief known as the Black Butterfly takes from bandits and the wealthy, giving to those in need.

The Black Butterfly is a Robin Hood-like scenario in a Wuxia world. The opening setup brilliantly introduces the protagonist and showcases her ability to move unseen. She wears clothing that masks her identity, and she leaves her calling card, a Black Butterfly, at the scene of the crime.

Although there is not much in the way of action early on, the narrative is always engrossing and moves quickly. These opening moments largely depend on tension arising from instances where the protagonist navigates through dangerous places. However, when action sequences do occur, they are inventive and well-executed, showcasing exceptional swordplay.

All around, the cast are excellent, especially Chiao Chiao’s (One-Armed Swordsman) portrayal of Kwan Bao Zhu, aka Black Butterfly. She does a phenomenal job portraying her character's two distinct sides: the mild-mannered Kwan Bao Zhu, who does not know any martial arts, and Black Butterfly, a highly skilled martial arts fighter. Another performance of note is Yueh Hua (Come Drink with Me), who portrays Liu Xi Lang, a man tasked with unmasking and capturing Black Butterfly. His character also becomes romantically involved with Kwan Bao Zhu.

Deception plays a crucial role in the unfolding story. Although there are numerous clues that could reveal Black Butterfly's identity, she consistently manages to turn the tables on her pursuers. There is also a revenge subplot, where a character wants revenge for a family member who was murdered. That said, the protagonist's story and the revenge subplot collide in the finale.

Though the narrative opens strongly, the middle section relies heavily on action, leading to a lack of exposition. Fortunately, the last act returns to form, effectively building momentum toward a finale in which the Black Butterfly and her accomplices attack the bandits' fortress. Ultimately, The Black Butterfly’s positives far outweigh its negatives, making it a film that Wuxia fans should enjoy.

Death Valley: An assassin befriends a man he’s been hired to kill.

In Death Valley, two main elements emerge: a femme fatale character who manipulates men against one another to eliminate any obstacles in her pursuit of her uncle's fortune, and a case of mistaken identity that jeopardizes her plans. The primary obstacle in her path is a cousin who was en route before she orchestrated her uncle's murder. Furthermore, the initial setup effectively develops the characters and their motivations.

Although a character's greed initiates the story, the dynamic between the assassin and the man he befriended instead of killing ultimately drives the narrative. A significant twist arises in their relationship when one man takes on the identity of the other. Additionally, the story is filled with numerous twists and turns that keep you guessing, and when the moment of truth arrives, its outcome is a surprise.

The performances are solid, especially Angela Yu Chien (The Cave of the Silken Web), who portrays Chiu Chien-Ying, the niece of a wealthy man who's determined to eliminate anyone who stands in the way of her inheritance. Another performance of note is Yueh Hua (Clans of Intrigue) in the role of Chiu Yu-Lung, the nephew and the rightful heir to the fortune. Director Lo Wei even makes an appearance in the role of the murdered uncle.

The action sequences are exemplary, many of the kills are gory, and there are some severed limbs. For a film made during the late 1960s, there are some surprisingly risque moments. The score, like so many 1960s and 70s martial arts films, has uncredited music, and in this instance it is a music cue from James Bond. Ultimately, Death Valley is a perfect blend of melodrama and action, making it a must-see for fans of Wuxia cinema.

Vengeance of a Snow Girl: A crippled woman with exceptional martial arts skills and a coveted sword seeks revenge against the four men who killed her parents.

Vengeance of a Snow Girl was a transitional film for Lo Wei; it was his final film for the Shaw Brothers before his move to Golden Harvest and then working on his own. After Vengeance of a Snow Girl, there was a dramatic shift in the type of films Lo Wei directed as he moved away from fantasy films and shifted to a more realistic kind of action. His direction is exceptional; he delivers what is arguably his best Wuxia film.

Revenge is the most used theme in martial arts cinema, and it is front and center in Vengeance of a Snow Girl. It is a classic revenge scenario: a child witnesses the death of a family, in this case both parents, grows up, and then sets out to exact said revenge. That said, what sets the protagonist apart from other revenge-themed martial arts films is that she’s a cripple, and outwardly she does not appear to be a threat.

When the protagonist is introduced in Vengeance of a Snow Girl, the story employs a familiar martial arts trope: a woman disguising herself as a man. Her movements are misleading, despite the limitations imposed by a childhood incident that affects her leg usage. She wields two golden canes, one of which conceals a hidden sword, and at times, she appears to float in the air.

The main attraction of Vengeance of a Snow Girl is Li Ching (Have Sword, Will Travel) in the role of the protagonist, Shen Ping-Hung. She delivers a powerful performance that effectively conveys her character's rage, and she excels in the action sequences. While her performance stands out and overshadows the rest of the cast, the other performances are still strong. The cast has several recognizable faces, including Yueh Hua (The Sentimental Swordsman), Chiao Chiao (Return of the One-Armed Swordsman), and Sammo Hung Kam-Bo (The Magnificent Butcher), in a brief non-speaking role as one of the bad guys' henchmen.

From a production standpoint, Vengeance of a Snow Girl is a film where everything falls into place. The premise is superbly executed, and a well-constructed narrative does a phenomenal job building momentum to a bittersweet ending. A strength of the narrative is how effectively it employs a flashback to fill in the details behind the protagonist's quest for revenge. The action sequences and stuntwork are exemplary; they are inventive, and they deliver an ample amount of surprises. Ultimately, Vengeance of a Snow Girl stands out as an exceptional film, representing one of the finest examples of the Wuxia genre. It also deserves recognition as one of Lo Wei’s greatest works.

Eureka Video’s Martial Law: Lo Wei's Wuxia World brings together three films directed by Lo Wei, gives them strong audio/video presentations, and includes informative extras. Highly recommended.

 

Written by Michael Den Boer