“Brothers Five” is a Shaw Brothers martial arts wuxia classic film from director Lo Wei and was recently released by Shout Factory on Blu-ray as part of their Shaw Brothers Classics Volume 2. “Brothers Five” stars Chang Pei-Pei, Yueh Hua, Lo Lieh, Han Chin, Chang I, Yuen Kao, with Ku Feng and Tien Feng as the villain.
“Brothers Five” kicks off with a bang, setting the tone with a fantastic opening scene that showcases Yueh Hua coming to the aid of a carriage owner who’s under attack. This leads to a series of excellent fight sequences that will have martial arts enthusiasts on the edge of their seats.
With each character’s introduction, it’s as if we’re watching the martial arts equivalent of the first Avengers movie, where heroes are assembled one by one, with Chang Pei-Pei taking on the role of a martial arts Nick Fury.
As the five brothers unite, they embark on a journey of self-discovery, learning to fight together as a formidable team to defeat the main villain, the leader of Tenglong Village. “Brothers Five” is an action extravaganza, leaving little room for extensive character development and depth.
However, no film is without its quirks. Some viewers might find fault in the abundance of night scenes with limited lighting, making it a bit challenging to follow the action. Additionally, there seems to be an extraordinary number of individuals catching darts with their mouths, which adds a unique twist to the martial arts choreography.