TV movie quality but a very interesting concept

I first watched this back in the 90's because of the Bruce Lee connection and at first I was like "Ok it's a mix of martial arts and Conan The Barbarian" But Conan hadn't even been released yet so it sort of has that going for it to start with.

The script is dreadful though, TV style mystic fluff and the acting isn't much better but I have to say that the film is quite charming. It has a lot of atmosphere and I quite liked some of the messages in the concept and multiple characters played by Caradine plus some of the locations are very nice indeed.

It's a shame that Bruce never got to have a proper hand in this because lets face it, the fights are the worst kind of Hollywood pap with slow, clunky choreography and up close shaky camera work that would never appear in a Hong Kong film but then this was an American Production in the 70's so what can one expect.

Probably the best part of the film for me is the Man In Oil segment with the wonderful Eli Wallach. I don't know if the script is better here or he just acts the words far more superior but it's a great scene anyway and an interesting (as well as comical) concept.

Going back to my earlier reference, it feels like one big TV movie but in saying that I find it quite enjoyable to watch and there are far worse films out there.

I rarely say this because the concept disgusts me but this is one film that is ripe for a remake of some sort. It had a great story and philosophy that wasn't executed very well and these kind of films should be the target for remakes, not films that were insanely popular and well made in the first place.