Directed by Cheng Kang and Shao-Yung Tung, this starts with Commander Yang Tsung Pao (Chung Wa) near death and almost ready to concede defeat. He sends his most trusted generals, Chiao Ting Kuai (Fan Mei-Sheng) and Meng Huai Yuan (Wong Chung-Shun), back home to inform his family that he has died and to send more troops. There aren’t any, as all of the men of the family have been killed in battle. Matriarch She Tai Chun (Lisa Lu) gathers the titular fourteen women and heads off, along with her teenage grandson (played by Lily Ho, but it’s no surprise that he is a she) to win the war. As for why Lily plays a boy, everyone must follow this line of thinking, as she will be the male heir for the kingdom.

Each of the women is capable and a dangerous fighter, including Mu Kue Ying (Ivy Ling Po) and Yang Pei Feng (Shu Pei-pei), who is celebrated in stories beyond this. This also has one of the most outstanding sequences, as when the bridge across Death Valley is destroyed, She Tai Chun orders her troops to form a human bridge that everyone trust falls into action, as the army uses them to cross and continue their revenge.

Also: So much violence and the evil Mongols have Santa Claus-like outfits on, making this a perfect holiday movie of women sword-slashing evil St. Nicks and tossing them off cliffs. Sure, there are hundreds of characters to keep track of, but this movie was made to amaze you. I saw one Letterboxd review that said, “There are supposed to be whole armies and I only see fifty people.”

This is a film of blood and sacrifice, of strategy and resolve. So if you have nothing nice — or smart — to say, just watch something else and let us enjoy.

The Arrow Video Shaw Scope Volume Three box set has a brand new 2K restoration of The 14 Amazons as well as commentary by Jonathan Clements, author of A Brief History of China; interviews with stuntwoman Sharon Yeung, film historian Bede Chang and film critic Law Kar and a trailer.

You can get this set from MVD.