The Master strikes back is a blunt film about hard subject matters, and could have benefitted having a better script and better direction. There are stuff happening in this film, with little to no explanation to WHY they are happening. This could of course be down to my severe lack of knowledge when it comes to Chinese history, but it is bad filmmaking nonetheless. Having said that, the style of filmmaking in this film is very different from other Shaw Brothers movies. Gone are the wide shots and the large sound stages, and in their place you get many scenes filmed close up and personal or even outside. I don't know if this was the studio or the director trying something new, but it certainly works. The Master Strikes Back also has actors that know what they are doing, and some scenes are very well done. Too bad the script left a lot to be desired. The Master Strikes Back plays more like a drama than a martial arts film, but the little action there is works great. This is a hard film to like...especially the ending, but there are also a lot of interesting filmmaking here that makes it interesting. You decide what is important to you.