Asian invasion

Review by Vives Anunciacion
Inquirer Libre
January 4, 2005

Gong Fu/ Kung Fu Hustle
Written, Directed and Produced by Stephen Chow
Starring Stephen Chow, Wah Yuen, Leung Siu Lung, Yuen Qiu
PG 13 / 95 minutes
Columbia Pictures/ Beijing Film Studio/ The Star Overseas
Opens January 6

A few years ago, Hong Kong submitted The Touch to the 2003 Oscar Awards Foreign Language category. Expectedly, the unexciting adventure film didn’t make it to the nominations list, quite a statement to the sorry shape of Hong Kong (and Asian) cinema then. But things are slowly returning to the golden days.

Martial arts filmmaker Stephen Chow presents another smashing action comedy in Kung Fu Hustle, a follow up to the boxoffice hit Shaolin Soccer (Siu Lam Juk Kau). Chow plays Sing, a small time thief who aspires to join the notorious crime syndicate Axe Gang. Sing’s vain attempts to extort money from a small apartment complex inadvertently attract the attention of the Axe Gang. Residents of the complex do all they can to defend their turf, in turn revealing the hidden identities of some legendary kung-fu masters in the area.

Kung Fu Hustle is set in 1940s Hong Kong at the height of the Chinese revolution. The period set pieces look great, and the overall look of the film harks back to the classic Hong Kong martial arts movies. But foremost it is a side-splitting comedy, including toilet humor. Kung Fu Hustle is a huge improvement over Shaolin Soccer in terms of filmmaking, story, concept, action choreography and CG effects – it is by any means at par with anything from Hollywood. Yuen Wo Ping choreographs intense action sequences and even makes a Chinese version of The Matrix Reloaded’s Burly Brawl. Hustle is replete with movie references anywhere from Chinese Connection to Superman to Crouching Tiger to The Matrix, one is reminded how far Hong Kong cinema has contributed to movies today.

Recognizing his past influences as well as using present techniques to create a cutting-edge stylistic movie, Chow pays tribute to his screen idols by including in the cast some legendary figures in Hong Kong cinema. Wah Yuen who plays Landlord, is a veteran of Chinese martial arts films, playing opposite Bruce Lee in The Chinese Connection. Yuen Qiu, who appeared as a Bond girl in The Man with the Golden Gun, came out of a 28-year retirement to play the role of Landlady. Leung Siu Lung (The Beast), was once part of the “Three Dragons” along with Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan. Chiu Chi Ling who plays the fairy Tailor is a master of Hung Ga kung fu and is also a veteran of kung fu movies including Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow.

Kung Fu Hustle is a veritable homage to the golden age of Hong Kong martial arts movies of the ‘70s as much as it is an Asian cultural statement on Hollywood’s grip on world pop cinema. Now there’s something no tsunami can erase.