This Mainland production is a bit of an odd mix between a kung fu film and a heist drama. Though it doesn't really adhere to the conventions of either genre, The Underdog Knight is still an entertaining picture, and even with Wong Jing's name attached to it as a producer, it's surprisingly thought-provoking at points.

The Underdog Knight can roughly be divided into two intersecting stories, each featuring a spear. The first centers on Lao San (Liu Ye), a navy officer who is mentally crippled after trying to save a drowning team-mate. With his body still in perfect shape, Lao turns himself into a vigilante, using his spear to beat up local crooks. The other major plot thread is about Dragon (Anthony Wong), a Hong Kong gangster who travels to the Mainland to steal a valuable spear from a museum. Lao and Dragon's paths ends up crossing, and their meeting turns both their worlds upside-down.

Ding Yu, who directed, edited, and co-wrote The Underdog Knight, displays a deft touch for characterization and plot development, which comes from a canny knowledge of both genres this film embraces, and knowing when to hold back. Yes, there are some twists present, but they never feel tacked on, actually adding something to the story, rather than becoming an obvious gimmick.

Matters are also propelled smoothly forward via the actors, in particular Anthony Wong. His work featured here is some of the best stuff he's done in years. It's a wonderfully under-stated performance that shows that Anthony can indeed still bring the goods if he puts his mind to it and actually cares about the role he's playing.

When you throw in a mise-en-scene that incorporates some of the better camerawork, editing, and music you'll get from a Mainland production that isn't a historical epic, along with a few solid (but unfortunately short) fight scenes, The Underdog Knight ends up being one of those little gems that might have flown under your radar upon its' initial release, but is well worth checking out now on DVD.

RATING: 7