“The Dragon Missile” directed by Ho Meng-Hua is a Shaw Brothers martial arts movie from 1976 that stars Lo Lieh as Sima Jun, Ku Feng as Prince Qin, and Tony Liu as Tie Er Lang aka Iron Fingers. “The Dragon Missile” was recently released on Blu-ray by Shout Factory as part of their Shaw Brothers Classics Vol 2 box set.

The heart of the story revolves around Sima Jun (Lo Lieh), who intriguingly assumes the mantle of the protagonist within the villainous tapestry. A coveted prize takes center stage – the enigmatic “longevity rattan,” a miraculous remedy sought to cure Prince Qin (Ku Feng) of the deadly affliction known as ‘A Hundred Birds Worship the Phoenix.’ This underlying quest for salvation sets the stage for a high-stakes drama, where the lines between right and wrong blur amidst a captivating web of deception.

Sima Jun’s arsenal includes the formidable Dragon Missiles, an oversized boomerang-like weapon renowned for its precision and lethality. This intricate detail adds a layer of artistry to the action sequences, with the Dragon Missile poised as a symbol of poetic devastation.

Within this narrative framework, a palpable sense of urgency is underscored by the metaphorical ticking of a clock. Interestingly, our anti-hero, Sima Jun, exhibits a curious detachment from the looming crisis that threatens Prince Qin’s life, intriguingly adding complexity to his character arc.