Snake in the Eagle's Shadow (1978) Review

Is Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow worth watching?

Yes — Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow is worth watching, with a 82% Critic Score and 83% Audience Score on Celluloid. It earns a 76% Celluloid Score across critic reviews, audience polls, Metascore (70), Letterboxd (3.7/5), and IMDb (7.3/10).

Directed by Yuen Woo-ping, Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow runs 98 minutes in Cantonese. On Celluloid we index it for “Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow review”, “is Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow worth watching”, and related discovery queries from Hong Kong.

What is Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow about?

Everyone abuses and humiliates a downtrodden orphan until he befriends an old man, who turns out to be the last master of the snake fist fighting style. Jackie becomes the old man’s student and finds himself in battle with the master of the eagle’s claw style, who has vowed to destroy the snake fist clan.

Critics consensus: The Yuen Woo-ping and Jackie Chan collaboration that invented kung-fu comedy months before Drunken Master perfected it. The film stars Jackie Chan, Simon Yuen Siu-Tien, Hwang Jang-Lee, Dean Shek Tin, Roy Horan, and others.

Should you watch Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow tonight?

Yes — prioritize Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow tonight if you want a proven action with lasting rewatch value. At 98 minutes, it fits a single sitting — and the five-source score breakdown on the movie page shows where critics and audiences agree.

Where can I watch Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow?

Streaming availability varies by region — check Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, and local OTT platforms, or theatrical revivals. Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow (1978) is indexed on CelluloidScore.com with cast, scores, and IMDb tt0078252. Explore more from Hong Kong on our country hub or browse action films.