Hon Lin of
Wah Kiu Yat Po noted that while the film features strong performances, particularly by Cheung Ying and Ng Wui, it ultimately falls short in execution and coherence, leaving much to be desired in terms of storytelling and character development, rendering it less effective than the Cantonese opera of the same name released during the same period. Ho Chi-fung of
Va Kio Daily considered the adaptation to be a "powerful and emotionally resonant" work, showcasing the maturity and talent of its original cast and crew, which contributes to its status as a classic. Film critic Yick Yi-man acknowledged that while he found Ng more adept at handling comedies and humor, he praised Ng's improvement in directing tragedies, highlighting his incorporation of humor and emotional depth into the film's familial scenes. The film was also said to "imitate the Blackboard Jungle-style films being made in the USA" at the time. Although
Bruce Lee only had a supporting role as Chow Chung, this film marks Lee's first adult role, with historian considering it as one of his most notable performances in a Cantonese-language film. This Bruce Lee film was also noted for the absence of fight scenes: "Counterpointing this combative role [in
The Orphan],
The Thunderstorm , featured no fight scenes at all," and was one of the first Hong Kong productions that starred a still-teenager Bruce Lee.
Stephen Chow paid homage to
The Thunderstorm by incorporating a scene where he portrayed Bruce Lee's part in his 1999 film
King of Comedy. Some of the footage of the film is re-used in the international version of
Tower of Death. == References ==