The Tournament – 88 Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Hong Kong, 1974
Director: Huang Feng
Writer: Huangpu Kuan-Hua
Cast: Angela Mao, Carter Wong, Hwang In-Shik, Guan Shan, Maria Yi Yi, Wong Sam, Sammo Hung Kam-Bo

Release Date: August 25th, 2026
Approximate Running Time: 98 Minutes 44 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: LPCM Mono Mandarin, LPCM Mono English
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $29.95

"After one of his students dies at a martial arts tournament in Thailand, kung fu master Lau (Ko Hisiang-ting) suffers deep dishonour and kills himself. His children - Carter Wong (Big Trouble in Little China) and Angela Mao, Lady Whirlwind herself - vow to restore his reputation, and that of Hong Kong kung fu. But to do so, they'll have to travel to Thailand themselves and fight in the same tournament - but if they fail, they could lose everything." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.25/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "2K restoration from the original negative."

The Tournament comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 36.6 GB

Feature: 28.4 GB

The sources look excellent; flesh tones and colors look correct, image clarity and black levels are strong, compression is solid, and there are no issues with digital noise reduction.

Audio: 4.25/5 (Both Audio Tracks)

This release comes with two audio options, a LPCM mono mix in Mandarin and a LPCM mono mix in English. Both tracks sound clean, clear, and balanced, and fight scenes sound appropriately robust. Included are removable English subtitles for the Mandarin language track and removable English subtitles for Mandarin text when watching with the English language track.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an image gallery with music from the film playing in the background (lobby cards/stills/posters), a theatrical trailer (3 minutes 52 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Mandarin with burnt-in English subtitles), English-language openings and closing credits (1 Minute 27 seconds, Dolby Digital mono), an interview with Carter Wong titled Muay Thai Memories (11 minutes 30 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Cantonese with non-removable English subtitles), an interview with Ricky Baker titled An Absolute Knockout (12 minutes 52 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with Asian cinema experts Frank Djeng and Michael Worth, reversible cover art, a double-sided foldout poster, and an O-card slipcase (limited to the first pressing).

Summary:

Huang Feng directed The Tournament. He’s known for The Shaolin Plot, Naked Comes the Huntress and his nine collaborations with Angela Mao.

Two students who are part of the Chinese Martial Arts Association disgrace them when one of them dies and the other is injured in a boxing tournament in Thailand.

The premise follows a trend set by Fist of Fury, Chinese martial arts against other countries' fighting styles. This film pits Chinese martial arts against Thailand’s Mauy Thai. That said, where other similar-themed films would showcase how Chinese martial arts is superior, The Tournament’s protagonist Lau Siu-Fung studies Mauy Thai and changes her fighting style to combat it.

The opening setup does an excellent job setting the foundation. While the story starts off about saving a sister who’s been kidnapped by gangsters, it turns into a story about revenge when the protagonist's father kills himself. There is never a shortage of tense moments, which the narrative effectively builds upon and an exemplary final provides a very satisfying conclusion.

Angela Mao (When Taekwondo Strikes) delivers another outstanding performance in the role of Lau Siu-Fung. While so many actors were propped up as a possible successor to Bruce Lee, Angela Mao, more than any other, came the closest. Where others try to emulate Bruce Lee, she brought a uniqueness to her roles that made her standout among her peers.

All around, the acting is excellent. Other notable cast members are Carter Wong (Big Trouble in Little China), who portrays Lau Siu-Fung’s brother, and Sammo Hung Kam-Bo (The Magnificent Butcher), who portrays one of the leaders of the Martial Arts Association. Sammo Hung Kam-Bo also played a pivotal role in choreographing the fight scenes.

When compared to other martial arts films from this era, The Tournament features a different kind of action that leans more into Mauy Thai than martial arts. Although the Mauy Thai tournament scenes are the focal point of the action, the moments where Angela Mao showcases Chinese martial arts are the highlight. Ultimately, The Tournament is a solid revenge-themed martial arts film.

The Tournament gets an excellent release from Eureka Video that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and informative extras. Highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer