This starts with the look and feel of "A Better Tomorrow" and delivers the same heroic bloodshed. If you are familiar with these types of Hong Kong movies you know the characters will all die at the end or at most only one will survive. I'm surprised to learn about the alternate cuts/endings and now I have to find those versions also. Yes, Carl Scott was the token and under-used so every minute more of screen time for him would improve the final cut. The fights are fabulous in every respect particularly in Bruce Li's execution and power. The pacing of the story is perfect and the fights each seem unique. I rate it a well above average eight out of ten.

SOUL BROTHERS OF KUNG FU is a decent little contemporary kung fu flick with a good cast and plentiful action to recommend it. The story is about a bunch of down-on-their-luck guys (two are illegal immigrants; the third is a young black kid constantly subjected to racist abuse) who team up to become friends and help each other out until they have a run-in with a local Triad group and all hell breaks loose.

This story might seem to be nothing special at the outset but it's actually a strong little entry in the genre, let down only by the usual gamut of poor dubbing and poorer picture quality. However, it's well worth a look for kung fu fans. The action hits fast and furious and there's always something interesting going on up on the screen. Even better, there's some real characterisation here, something usually missing from the genre.

The hero of the piece is Bruce Li, a man who always impresses outside of the mindless Bruceploitation films he invariably appeared in. He's given excellent support by the scene-stealing Lo Meng, right on the cusp of stardom as one of the Shaw Brothers Venoms; one of my favourite genre performers, he's typically excellent here. Carl Scott is the third ally and thoroughly likable in his part, his presence probably inspired by Jim Kelly in ENTER THE DRAGON (he has a similar role). Villainous duties go to another Shaw actor, Ku Feng, who is also very good; actors like Lee Hoi San play the bad guys too. Watch carefully and you'll see cameoing actors like Mars and Yuen Biao playing stuntmen and bit parts.

There's only one 'soul brother' in this feature, released on video in the United States as part of the 'Mack Video' series. Anyone picking this up looking for black action thrills is going to be disappointed, as token African-American actor Carl Scott is really only a supporting character, and is burdened with a horrendous dubbing job by what sounds like a white Australian voice actor. Beyond the false advertising, however, this is actually an above average genre flick, featuring wall to wall, well choreographed action sequences and some unique training techniques, including a light up mannequin and what look to be bear traps! Additionally, the video is letterboxed and was decently mastered, and the film features a bit more sex and nudity than you might expect. On the other hand, this print features the usual bad dubbing as well as numerous bizarre jump cuts. Like many films of its type and era, Soul Brothers of Kung Fu also shamelessly cribs musical cues, featuring generous (and undoubtedly uncleared) segments of Bill Conti's Rocky themes, plus Paul McCartney's Live and Let Die, Silver Connection's disco classic Fly Robin Fly, and what sounds like Santo and Johnny's version of Happy Birthday!