Master of the Flying Guillotine (re-release)
Metascore
57 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 11 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 11
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 11
  3. Negative: 1 out of 11
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  1. Portland Oregonian
    Reviewed by: Kim Morgan
    100
    Simultaneously modern and yet gorgeously primitive with its budget sets and simple but influential score, this is not just a film re-release but a film event.
  2. The A.V. Club
    Reviewed by: Nathan Rabin
    80
    Needs to be seen to be believed, and even then defies belief.
  3. Los Angeles Times
    Reviewed by: Kevin Thomas
    80
    Called the Holy Grail of the Hong Kong martial arts movies of the '70s, and now that it has been lovingly restored and given a regular theatrical release, it's easy to see why.
  4. The New York Times
    Reviewed by: A.O. Scott
    80
    Just know that you'll owe Master of the Flying Guillotine for the pleasure you'll get from viewing a venerable example of the kung fu genre.
  5. New York Post
    Reviewed by: V.A. Musetto
    63
    The low-budget "Master" lacks the polish and romance that made "Crouching Tiger" so popular. But for old-fashioned raw energy, it's tough to beat.
  6. TV Guide
    Reviewed by: Maitland McDonagh
    50
    A must-see for martial arts enthusiasts.
  7. L.A. Weekly
    Reviewed by: Hazel-Dawn Dumpert
    50
    Yu’s filmography includes dozens of pictures between 1965 and 1994, but with its nonstop flurry of fighting, ersatz bloodletting and incidental hilarity, this remains his signature work.
  8. New Times (L.A.)
    Reviewed by: Andy Klein
    50
    It's refreshing and unusual to see clever strategy trumping ritual honor in a film of this genre, even if one of the tricks seems gratuitously brutal.
  9. Austin Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Joey O'Bryan
    40
    I'd be lying if I said this movie wasn't a hoot. Sure it's silly, but it's also campy, brainless fun, and just how often to get to see stuff like this on the big screen anyway?
  10. Village Voice
    Reviewed by: Nick Rutigliano
    40
    Snags the viewer's attention by lacing its martial-arts high jinks with a compelling weirdness.
  11. Film Threat
    Reviewed by: Phil Hall
    30
    A noisy, chaotic affair.

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