SPECIAL FEATURE: Film Review: Choy Lee Fut

Film: Choy Lee Fut
Year of production: 2011
Running time: 92 mins
Director: Tommy Law Wai Tak & Sam Wong Ming-Sing
Starring: Sammo Hung, Timmy Hung Tin Chiu, Kane Kosugi, Yuen Wah, Lau Kar Wing
Genre: Action/Drama/Martial Arts
Country: China
Language: Cantonese

Review by: James Noble

This film was screened at Terracotta Film Festival in May 2011.

With the success of the Wing Chun-themed Ip Man movies, Chinese cinema offers us an exploration of another of its kung fu styles, this time the widely-practiced Choy Lee Fut. The film of the same name also offers up the first big-screen pairing of martial arts movie legend Sammo Hung with his son, Sammy. Do co-directors Law and Wong have an international cult hit on their hands?

Jie (Sammy Hung) is a Chinese ex-pat living in the UK, who is visited by his wandering kung fu master father (Sammo Hung) and encouraged to return to China. After a fight against local thugs, Jie decides to do just that, and returns to his old Choy Lee Fut school, now run by his Uncle (Yuen Wah), with his Japanese friend Ken (Kane Kosugi) in tow.

No sooner have they got into the swing of their training than they are approached by representatives of Pan-America, a nefarious corporation who seek to absorb their school into their empire. Jie is dead-set against this and refuses, but when an agreement contract is revealed, showing the genuine signature of his father, Jie has no choice but to challenge Pan-America to a martial arts tournament, with the winner getting control of the Choy Lee Fut school.

While Jie and Ken train for the tourney, Jie begins to fall for Xia Yu-fei (Wang Jia-yin) a Pan-America representative, who happens to be the long-term girlfriend of Zuo Zhang-hong (Steven Wong), the toughest fighter on the Pan-America side. Can Jie maintain his focus in training, and win the heart of Yu-fei?


All the ingredients for a fun, undemanding martial arts flick are here, but Choy Lee Fut squanders an impressive cast on a thrown together script that does not challenge its obviously low budget with anything approaching narrative ambition or character depth. The flimsiest of excuses are found to turn the plot in the necessary directions at every stage – Jie’s reasons for leaving his life in the UK (filmed not in the UK, but in the rather obviously Chinese location of Thames Town, a British-themed development near Shanghai) are something to do with apparently constant gang-fighting and an elusive message in the frankly spurious philosophy spouted by his master/father. In fact, too often, the script substitutes cod-Zen philosophy for narrative objective, momentum and stakes. Even though the committed cast try their best, there is simply nothing here for an audience to invest in.

The script issues extend to plot threads established (Jie’s fight with a British gang in a restaurant) and then never picked up, or directionless scenes, such as Jie being invited into the school by his Uncle, so they can talk, and then immediately going off with a senior student - the scene never establishing what Uncle ever wanted to talk about. With a goal of only creating enough reason to credibly justify the climactic martial arts tournament, too many questions are left unanswered – for example, Yu-fei and just what she sees in the admittedly handsome, but rather bland Jie, and why she would risk her apparently stable relationship, not to mention her career, for a young man who is insistent to the point of obsessive (his own attraction to her not obvious beyond the aesthetics). And the question of why Yu-fei, a power-suited career girl, seems to fill her mid-afternoons with (not unappealing) vigorous, Flashdance-style dance routines in what may be a dance studio, or may be a car park (perhaps a combination of the two) would be destined to become one of the great, unanswered questions of world cinema, were Choy Lee Fut to get a wide international release, which does not look likely.

The production is broadly shoddy, with unconvincing dubbing for the English-speaking characters by Chinese voice actors. Sammo Hung’s top-billed cameo, book-ending the film, is a real disappointment, but his presence – and the presence of rising star Dennis To – makes one wonder how the production company weren’t able to secure extra financing, if only to pay for another draft of the problematic script. The locations and settings are generally restricted to the Choy Lee Fut school, the Pan-America office, and a few selected interiors. Several flashback sequences are rendered with unconvincing CGI backgrounds which, while giving them a certain dream-like quality, underscore the limits of the budget and the apparent speed of the shooting schedule.

Perhaps the biggest problem with Choy Lee Fut is its lack of insight into what makes this particular kung fu style special, and worth fighting to preserve. Unlike Wilson Yip Wai-shun’s Ip Man movies, which took the time to educate the audience on the basic principles of the Wing Chun style (thus ensuring maximum audience enjoyment in the scenes), directors Law and Wong offer no such meditation on Choy Lee Fut. In addition, the camerawork and editing employed by Wong in his role as action director render the style visually elusive, indistinguishable from the unnamed martial arts practiced by the bad guys. The characters are mired in a story without genuine, relatable or compelling conflict, over a martial art that the audience struggles to be impressed by.

That’s not to say that Wong’s action direction is bad. In fact, the fight scenes – few and far between though they may be – are one of Choy Lee Fut’s chief pleasures. The overly-stylish camerawork may slightly undermine the crisp choreography, as well as the athleticism of the talented cast, but when Choy Lee Fut seeks to get the audience’s pulse beating a little faster, it generally succeeds.

But the chief pleasure of this film is the performance of Yuen Wah as the ageing Choy Lee Fut master with a permanently wry, bemused expression that suggests the actor is not taking anything seriously and is just having fun. Yuen’s charisma – not always on show in his earlier, smaller supporting roles in ‘80s Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung vehicles – offers the audience a way into the film and gives them a consistent delight to look forward to, no matter what fruitless detours the script takes.


A huge disappointment, given the cast, and a missed opportunity to promote a wonderful kung fu style to a wider international audience. Decent fight scenes and a terrifically funny turn from Yuen Wah alone can’t quite bring Choy Lee Fut up to the level of ‘recommended’, although the first big-screen pairing of Hung sr. with Hung jr. will ensure that it remains a footnote in genre history. JN

REVIEW: DVD Release: Wushu

Film: Wushu
Year of production: 2008
Release date: 18th April 2011
Studio: MVM
Certificate: 12
Running time: 101 mins
Director: Antony Szeto
Starring: Sammo Hung, Wei Dong, Wu Dazhou, Lie Xin, Shi Yao
Genre: Action/Adventure/Drama/Family/Martial Arts
Format: DVD
Country: Hong Kong
Language: Mandarin

Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung are back together (although only Sammo appears on screen with Jackie taking on the role of executive producer) for this 2008 action film aimed squarely at the younger generation, but will their combined efforts elevate the film to the dizzying heights reached with their previous collaborations as part of the Three Dragons?

The portly, yet oddly sprightly Mr Li (Sammo Hung) is a father to two boys and a martial arts teacher who is determined to honour his late wife’s memory by bringing up his sons in a manner she would approve of. At the Wushu school of martial arts he heads up, his two young sons Yi and Er quickly make friends with fellow classmates Yauwu, Zhang and Fong (the only girl of the group) and form the Jing Wu Men.

The Jing Wu Men grow up together, and each one of them becomes an expert in a chosen martial arts discipline by the time they reach their teenage years. Soon, they are joined by Xiao Yi, a pretty girl and fellow martial artist who Zhang takes a shine to, and doesn’t particularly mind being kicked in the face by during an arranged ‘duel’. At the same time, a gang led by Le, a wayward former pupil of the Wushu school, begins kidnapping young children, and the Jing Wu Men set out to save the day.

Their efforts to defeat the gang intensify when two young twins from the school are kidnapped along with one of the Jing Wu Men and Nan, another former pupil who works as a film stuntman and fight choreographer. Mr Li, his son Yi and Yauwu are called into action to rescue the kidnap victims, but the evil Le proves to be a remarkably tough adversary. At least until he starts fighting dirty, and Mr Li starts throwing his weight around...


If you’re looking for a martial arts film with plenty of historical detail and narrative depth, Wushu is not the film to go for, but if flashy fun, cheesy music and gawky teenage romance are what you’re after, look no further. The kids start out cute and talented, and pretty much stay that way as teenagers. They have their problems, but Mr Li and his beautiful, ever supportive sidekick Miss Zhang are always on hand to help.

It would be easy to pick fault with Wushu, but it’s better just to enjoy the flaws as amusing oddities rather than labour over them. Early in the film, for example, the pint-sized Jing Wu Men basically steal, or ‘rescue’, a puppy from an old man they surmise might want to eat it, then pretty much abandon the puppy when it leads them to what will become their secret hideaway. Well, maybe they don’t abandon the puppy after all; it is possible that they hungrily devour it themselves off-camera, but we’re probably not meant to worry about that.

The main appeal of Wushu is the expertly filmed martial arts action. With the aid of split screens, slow motion and upbeat, relentlessly sugary music, the action sequences give the film an energetic, hyper-kinetic wow factor that kids and not-too-demanding martial arts fans will love. The main story and simple sub-plots do just enough to hold it all together, and the young cast are all perfectly likeable as the Jing Wu Men. It doesn’t always go smoothly for them, and they do have the odd setback to deal with, so you’re not left with the feeling of wanting to throttle them (much), but all ends well, as you would expect.

There is very little blood, though Nan very nearly does get his skull cracked open ‘like an egg’ with a sledgehammer by one of Le’s henchmen, and Mr Li gets a bloody lip in the climactic fight with Le. It could have been a lot worse for Mr Li, though, if Le had just been a bit quicker with that saw... And if you’re not in the mood for reading subtitles, there’s also a dubbed version with American accents.

Martial arts purists will probably turn their noses up at Wushu, and it’s certainly ripe for parody, but as a harmless bit of fun, it makes for entertaining enough viewing. But exactly what did happen to that cute little puppy?


Wushu won’t set the world of martial arts films alight, but it’s undemanding, well crafted fun, and there are worse things for kids to emulate than the irrepressible Jing Wu Men. JG

NEWS: DVD Release: Wushu

Produced by Jackie Chan and starring Sammo Hung, Wushu is a Karate Kid-style coming-of-age, martial arts action-adventure directed by former martial arts student and stuntman-turned-director Antony Szeto (DragonBlade).

Raised by their grandmother since their mother’s death, 9-year-old Li Yi (Wei Dong) and his younger brother Li Er (Wu Dazhou) are about to start a new life with their father, Li Hui (Sammo Hung), a teacher at an elite Chinese martial arts school which they are to attend. Their mischief-filled first day introduces them to fellow pupils Fong Fong (Lie Xin), Xiao Zhang (Shi Yao) and Yang Yauwu (Liang Zhicheng) and a life-long allegiance between the five friends is soon formed.

Ten years later, in their final year of college, Li Yi, Fong Fong and Yang have become the school’s top Wushu students, while Li Er and Xiao Zhang are the top two Sanda fighters, all working hard to get in shape for the forthcoming selection competition for the provincial martial arts team. A chance meeting with a former student-turned-fight choreographer, Guo Nan (Zhang Jin), and a visit to his latest film set rouses dreams of action movie stardom in the youngsters, dreams which could threaten their athletic careers.

However, their fates take an unexpected turn when they cross paths with Ke Le (Tie Nan), a former pupil of Li Hui and a one-time friend of Nan’s, who is now involved in illegal underground fighting and a child trafficking ring. When the five friends thwart Ke Le’s attempt to kidnap a little girl, it places all their lives in danger. Turning to Li Hui for help, the group of friends and their mentor must combine their combine skills to face their greatest challenge.

Feet and fists fly with impressive speed, style and grace as a new generation of martial arts stars takes the stage to display their fighting skills under the guidance of two of the genre’s master practitioners in Wushu, a film that is as full of charm and character as it is bone-crunching action.

Film: Wushu
Release date: 18th April 2011
Certificate: 12
Running time: 101 mins
Director: Antony Szeto
Starring: Sammo Hung, Wei Dong, Wu Dazhou, Lie Xin, Shi Yao
Genre: Action/Adventure/Drama/Family/Martial Arts
Studio: MVM
Format: DVD
Country: Hong Kong

REVIEW: DVD Release: Ip Man 2

Film: Ip Man 2
Release date: 7th March 2011
Certificate: 15
Running time: 104 mins
Director: Wilson Yip
Starring: Donnie Yen, Simon Yam, Sammo Hung, Huang Xiaoming, Darren Shahlavi
Genre: Action/Biography/History/Martial Arts
Studio: Cine Asia
Format: DVD & Blu-ray
Country: Hong Kong

The fifth collaboration between director Wilson Yip and leading man Donnie Yen is a sequel to their mega-hit Ip Man - an epic martial arts period actioner that not only established a brand new Hong Kong cinematic folk hero, but also showed a new side of Yen’s acting ability, as well as featuring some of the best Wing Chun kung fu choreography ever committed to film. With Ip Man 2, can they clear their own high bar?

Hong Kong, 1950. Having escaped occupied China, Wing Chun Master Ip Man (Yen) is now living in Hong Kong with his pregnant wife Wing Sing (Lynn Hung) and trying to scrape a living by teaching his art. But in a colonial Hong Kong still suffering the after-effects of war, where water is rationed and the local martial arts masters are charged a protection fee by the British authorities, times are hard, and day after day goes by without a single potential student joining Master Ip’s inconveniently located rooftop school.

This all changes when Wong Leung (Huang), a cocky street-tough, wanders in to see what Wing Chun is all about. After he and his friends are humbled by Ip’s superior skills, they accept him as their Master, and he soon has a flourishing business. However, as a recent arrival to Hong Kong, Ip is not aware that the local martial arts community is a tight-knit, pseudo-Triad overseen by Master Hung Chan-nam (Sammo Hung), who demands that the new Master prove himself a worthy teacher in a series of challenges.

After forming an initially grudging, mutual respect for Master Hung, Ip is disappointed to learn that he demands a monthly protection fee from all martial arts teachers. But Hung, in turn, is under the control of a corrupt British police officer, paying him a protection fee to ensure the kung-fu schools can operate in peace. And when the arrogant boxer ‘Twister’ (Shahlavi) comes to Hong Kong for a tournament, tensions between the oppressed Chinese and the colonial bullies threaten to explode - with Masters Hung and Ip destined to find themselves right in the middle of the fray…


As has been discussed in other reviews of Hong Kong movies on this very site, the fact that there was a quick sequel to Ip Man is hardly a surprise. The first film did great box-office in Hong Kong and China, and picked up a slew of Asian film awards; it was also well-received in international territories, thanks largely to its lavish production values, terrific action sequences, and a charismatic central performance from star Donnie Yen. It precipitated the creation of a small subgenre in Hong Kong films, centred on a real-life martial arts master who had, until then, existed only as a footnote in biographies of the late, great Bruce Lee (his most illustrious disciple) - in between Ip Man 1 and 2 came The Legend Is Born - Ip Man, starring Dennis To (who, somewhat bizarrely, has a cameo in this movie as a troublesome disciple of Sammo Hung’s character) as a younger version of Master Ip; and Tony Leung Chiu-wai has taken the role in Wong Kar-wai’s still-in-production The Grandmaster. But as the first entry in the Ip Man cinematic canon, featuring a career-defining performance from Donnie Yen and endorsement from the master’s son Ip Chun (credited as a technical advisor), Wilson’s Yip’s movie has the distinction of being the closest thing to the ‘official’ and ‘definitive’ Ip Man movie. Hence, the sequel.

Pleasingly, after an initial recap of the first film, Ip Man 2 establishes a measured and deliberate pace, avoiding any temptation to launch into a simple re-tread of its predecessor, or move straight into the action. Like in Tsui Hark’s Once Upon A Time In China series a generation earlier (to which Yip’s movies now deserve comparison), the sequel attempts to mine some new storytelling territory from the off. Master Ip is in a new location and a new predicament in the early goings of part two, with new tests of his characteristic dignity and righteous nature. His developing relationship with first student Wong Leung is unlike any dynamic shared with any character in the previous movie, and allows the audience a deeper insight into Master Ip, the man and martial arts philosopher.

Ip Man 2 is at its strongest in its first hour, as it chronicles the establishment and flourishing of Master Ip’s martial arts school, with meditations on the principles of Wing Chun (indeed, both movies serve as a fabulous commercial for this practical and economical self-defence style). And Ip’s rapport with Wong Leung is a more interesting one than any featured in the first movie, as the brash and obnoxious street kid is set on the road to maturity through his martial instruction (in real life, Wong would be the disciple placed in charge of the teenage Bruce Lee’s day-to-day teaching). Yip’s directorial command is much more evident here than in the first film, as he lets the characters build and play off each other, the narrative and emotional arcs developing at a rather gentle pace that nevertheless regularly bursts into scenes of combat that never feel forced or not germane to the story.

1950s Hong Kong is sumptuously created, even if astute and knowledgeable viewers will spot the odd anachronistic detail (a poster advertising the Sonny Liston-Cassius Clay fight being perhaps the most egregious). This is an even bigger production than the first movie, and it is to the filmmakers’ credit that a good portion of the running time is given over to quieter, human drama, rather than wall-to-wall bombastic action. The early sequences of Master Ip, the family man, trying to support his heavily pregnant wife and their son, too embarrassed to chase his young students for the school fees that his life literally depends on, are engaging thanks to the combination of understated acting and Yip’s resistance of showing the poverty of the era with a heavy hand. In its first two acts, Ip Man 2 is that rare beast - a Hong Kong martial arts movie with a dramatic foundation that is genuinely character-based.

Act two sees Yip and screenwriter Edmond Wong move up a gear with the introduction of rival students to Master Ip’s, led by Master Hung, a Hung Kuen (occasionally referred to as Hung Gar) stylist who owns and operates a fish market, and carries himself as much like a Triad kingpin as a martial arts teacher. This again, brings a new character dynamic to proceedings, as he and Master Ip develop a mutual respect for each other’s abilities, while butting heads over their respective approaches to navigating the sometimes difficult and oppressive nature of living under colonial British rule. Master Hung’s deeply conflicted approach, which perhaps involves a soul-destroying modification of his own beliefs and patriotism in an effort to protect his compatriots as best he can, is in direct contrast with Master Ip’s more immovable stance that a martial artist should not accept extortion under any circumstances. It’s a clash born as much out of personality as standard kung fu macho posturing, and is all the more compelling for it.

However, in the middle of act two, the filmmakers attempt another gear-shift - one that is not as smooth as its first. Meandering away from Ip Man to Master Hung, and exploring his dealings with the racist, extortionate British authorities (in the person of Charlie Mayer’s corrupt police officer), the narrative loses focus and leaves its protagonist stranded on the periphery of the main plot, without a real objective of his own, other than to preserve his integrity. Thus, when Master Hung’s bullying students pick a gang fight with Ip’s disciples, the resulting ruckus lacks the weight of earlier action scenes.

The script sacrifices its more interesting story to become a rather more familiar Chinese vs. Evil Oppressor narrative, which is perhaps disappointing coming off the back of a first hour pleasantly devoid of the broadly caricatured foreign figures that have been turning up all-too regularly in recent Chinese-language action movies. Personified by Darren Shahlavi’s ‘Twister’, a hulking boxing champion with an air of the period gangster about him, the British colonialists are quickly introduced as the enemy - Twister’s flagrant disrespect for ‘Chinese boxing’ sets in motion a chain-of-events that will result in a brace of hard-hitting, inter-discipline duels that see the righteous Chinese heroes stand up for the honour of their country and its martial arts traditions.

Not only is this story’s change of direction a little disappointing because it is what we might expect from a more basic Hong Kong martial arts film, but it is also - as was the depiction of the Japanese in part one - somewhat troubling for the viewer. A sense of nationalism in Hong Kong/Chinese cinema is nothing in new, but as the world moves further and further away from the eras depicted in period films, it is both fascinating and bizarre to witness the gusto with which certain Chinese filmmakers present broad, ugly caricatures of past-oppressors in the name of bolstering contemporary national pride and identity. If anything, Ip Man 2 represents a deepening of this ‘problem’ – the first film’s principal villain, Hiroyuki Ikeuchi’s General Miura, at least had a recognizable sense of warrior’s honour and respect for Ip Man; his desire to fight him born more out of a need to test himself against a credible opponent than any sense of oppression. No such element is afforded to Shahlavi’s ‘Twister’, whose personality outweighs even his heavyweight physique, and remains a rather one-note villain. This is not to take away from Shahlavi, who works hard in the role (especially in the combat scenes), but is not afforded the screen-time or nuance to flesh out his antagonist, as the filmmakers take no chances at all that the audience won’t be clamouring for the defeat of the ‘gwailo’.

But if Ip Man 2 strikes an inconsistent balance between its first and second hours, it scores consistently - and consistently high - in the other areas that matter. Once again, Donnie Yen delivers a terrific performance, building on the quiet grace that so surprised long-time admirers in the first movie, and adding to it a sense of dignity that is both appealing and, occasionally, affecting. The early scenes with Ip Man sitting quietly, smiling through the frustration of having a school with no students, are rather poignant, and ensure that even newcomers to the Ip Man legend will accept him as their hero right from the off. Yen is destined to become as synonymous with this role as Jet Li was with Wong Fei-hung.

As the conflicted Master Hung, Sammo Hung brings all of the weight and gravitas acquired over his nearly five decades in the fight film industry, commanding the screen and audience as easily as he does the kung fu masters and students he oversees. Huang Xiao-ming is engaging and appealing as the hot-headed Wong Leung, even if the character is the most disserved by the story shift, more or less disappearing from the film in the second half. Throughout the cast, there are pleasing guest appearances from returning faces like Fan Sui-wong and Simon Yam - and if their various scenes don’t always feel absolutely essential to Ip Man 2’s core narrative, their presence is nevertheless a clear indication of the filmmakers’ attempt to create not your usual quick cash-in, but a bona fide martial arts saga, which lends both films an invaluable sense of prestige.

As action choreographer, Sammo Hung has much more to work with than he did previously, staging a series of unique and thrilling battles, pitting Ip Man’s Wing Chun style against a variety of other disciplines, most notably Hung Kuen and Western boxing. His work here exceeds that of the first movie, and his collaboration with cinematographer Poon Hang-sang (veteran of Jet Li’s Fearless, among other notable entries in the genre) makes thrilling use of Kenneth Mak’s gorgeous production design - the highlight being the table-top fight between Ip Man and Master Hung. Unique, inventive and thrilling in its conception and execution, it is a worthy successor to the actors’ maiden dust-up in Yip’s earlier Kill Zone, and another reminder of Hung’s genius with staging action scenes.

Ip Man 2 is not without its issues and flaws, but in broadening out the canvas of the mythology, Wilson Yip has crafted a sequel that deserves comparison with the Once Upon A Time In China series. What next for part three? Should Donnie Yen overcome the trepidation he has expressed in interviews about trying to top his work in part two? Tantalisingly, there remains at least one more relationship to extract from the Ip Man mythology - the one between Master Ip and his teenaged disciple, Bruce Lee. In a splendid coda to Ip Man 2, this story is teased when a precocious youngster swaggers into Master Ip’s school and requests to be taken on as a student. Played by Jiang Dai-yan - a child actor who not only bears an uncanny physical resemblance to Lee at that age, but also a fine flair for mimicking the ‘Little Dragon’s’ signature mannerisms - Lee’s appearance is a crowd-pleasing one. In fact, one may even go as far as saying that it begins to deliver on an unspoken promise to audiences (especially international) that the Ip Man films would, to some extent, explore the early life of the martial arts movie legend. Given that Lee’s name has been used prominently in the two films’ promotion, it seems only fitting that he make an appearance, and - for all the flaws in the narratives of the first two films - a final movie focusing on the positive effect martial arts teaching had on a young icon-in-waiting who was, at that stage of his life, something of a troublesome delinquent is entirely desirable. Reportedly, image rights issues with Lee’s estate prevented the filmmakers from featuring him more prominently in this film, but one would hope these are resolved if and when Yen and Yip decide to conclude their trilogy.


Builds upon the groundwork of part one, and exceeds it in the areas most audiences will care about - acting, production and action. If the depiction of foreigners remains an issue in the genre, it should nevertheless not obscure the fact that Ip Man 2 is supreme, peerless entertainment where it counts. JN

TRAILER: DVD Release: IP Man 2

Check out the trailer below for IP Man 2, which comes to DVD on 7th March 2011.

More information on this film can be found by clicking here.

NEWS: DVD Release: IP Man 2

Having defeated the best fighters of the Imperial Japanese army in occupied Shanghai, IP Man and his family settle in post-war Hong Kong.

Struggling to make a living, Master IP (Donnie Yen) opens a kung fu school to bring his celebrated art of Wing Chun to the troubled youth of Hong Kong. His growing reputation soon brings challenges from powerful enemies, including pre-eminent Hung Gar master, Hung Quan (Sammo Hung). However, when corrupt colonial officials stage a life-or-death contest with formidable British boxer, Twister (Darren Shahlavi), to humiliate the Chinese people, the masters quickly forget their differences.

Soon, the eyes of the nation are on the one man capable of securing a victory - Grandmaster IP Man!

Film: IP Man 2
Release date: 7th March 2011
Certificate: 15
Running time: 104 mins
Director: Wilson Yip
Starring: Donnie Yen, Simon Yam, Sammo Hung, Huang Xiaoming, Darren Shahlavi
Genre: Action/Biography/History/Martial Arts
Studio: Cine Asia
Format: DVD & Blu-ray
Country: Hong Kong

DVD Special Features:
• Audio commentary by Hong Kong cinema expert Bey Logan
• Trailer gallery
• Shooting diary
• Making of
• Four big scenes (discussion with Kenneth Mak and Wilson Yip)
• Deleted scenes
• Gala premiere
• Interviews gallery
• Three Cine Asia world exclusive documentaries: ‘The Wing Chun Connection’, ‘Wing Chun in Action’ and ‘Legacy Of The Master’

REVIEW: DVD Release: Project A

Film: Project A
Release date: 24th June 2002
Certificate: 15
Running time: 101 mins
Director: Jackie Chan
Starring: Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, Yuen Biao, Dick Wei
Genre: Action/Comedy/Martial Arts
Studio: E1
Format: DVD
Country: Hong Kong

Project A is a defining chapter in the astonishing career of Jackie Chan. Conceived and filmed after the devastating critical and commercial flop that was Dragon Lord, Chan resolved to change his cinematic fortunes. The result, Project A, is a masterful example of amazing martial arts and stunts driven by a solid fast-paced plot with the trademark Chan comedy strain.

The coastguard of Colonial Hong Kong at the turn of the 20th century is being continually humiliated by a gang of fearless pirates led by San-Po (Wei). Dragon Ma (Chan), a boisterous marine, is determined to devastate the Pirate stronghold on the South China Seas. However, the coastguard squad, after a terrible decimation of their fleet, is disbanded, and they fall under command of the police force to be re-trained by Inspector Tzu (Biao).

Dragon is frustrated by the lack of help from his new police colleagues and his former Navy superiors in taking on big-time criminals with heavy links to San-Po. Striking out to take down the cutthroats with help from childhood friend and small-time hustler Fei (Hung), and eventually Inspector Tzu, Dragon initiates ‘Project A’, a final solution intended to defeat San-Po and his gang…


Chan, Hung, and Biao (known as the ‘Three Brothers’) were instrumental in pulling Hong Kong film from the traditional kung-fu to more contemporary themes that helped ignite the 1980s boom period. Chan perhaps saw the disappointing reception of Dragon Lord as a shift in the tastes of the public, and so came up the idea of a pirate movie as a shake-up of the classic young rogue he usually played. This venture was filmed in secrecy to prevent the plot from being stolen by rival studios, and it ensured the Three Brothers, under the directorship of Chan in this instance, became the most-loved actions stars of the era.

Project A is flush with excellent stunts and slices of comedy gold that thankfully do not get lost in translation. The opening fight sees the coastguard take on the police in a local bar. As the teams square up on either side of a stage-cum-catwalk, and bottles are broken, Dragon sees sense and downs his weapons. But a sliding police officer bashes into the gramophone, and with a tremendous blast of classical music, the melee look to the record-player, then to each other, before a classic scene kicks off. Chan and Biao showcase polished acrobatics and martial arts expertise. A much-loved slab of humour sees neither want to lose face after smashing chairs across one another’s backs, and they each slip in a corner to rub at their beaten spines before bravado puffs them up and back out to the riot.

The statuesque support from Sammo Hung gives the viewer a much-appreciated lesson in what it must’ve been like to live, grow, and train together at the Peking Opera School as the Three Brothers did. Due nods are dropped to Chinese opera as Dragon and Fei infiltrate a gun deal. They use masks, face-paint, and sing to disguise their face and voices. However, Dragon and Ma fall out after learning they can’t work together to sabotage the supply line to San-Po. They put aside their growing animosity to brawl side-by-side and move-for-move in a tea house fight scored to opera beats. To see a man as big as Hung move with such agility is always a delight, as well as his incredibly strong acting and comedic support.

Chan’s determination to inject freshness into the kung fu genre is best displayed with his homage to other physical comedians, as well as using fads of the time. A high-octane bike chase through a labyrinthine collection of alleys sees Chan tap into the BMX craze of the 1980s, spinning wheels being used as effective weapons. A rumour is that it’s not Chan who climbs up between two walls and throws his front wheel out to knock-out a hoodlum, but Yuen Biao.

Project A’s most infamous scene sees Chan pay respects to Harold Lloyds role in Safety Last by hanging from a clock hand on a tower. As he loses purchase and falls in front of a huge shocked crowd, he plummets through two sets of awnings to the floor. No crash mats or safety nets here. Replayed again (a motif used in the electrified pole slide in Police Story) shows a different landing. As with Police Story, this doesn’t disrupt the story flow, instead it demonstrates Chan savvy. He understands what pleases an audience, and here it’s a terrific stunt done for real.


Jackie Chan undoubtedly is the backbone of the entire piece, not only in terms of acting but physical action, martial arts skill, and comedy turns. The quite sublime support of Hung and Biao mix to create one the greatest movies in the modern history of Hong Kong film. A genuine classic. JM

PROFILE: Actor/Director: Sammo Hung

Sammo Hung is one of the most prolific stars/innovators/directors/martial arts choreographers in this history of Eastern cinema. Known more for his impressive fighting skills that belie his girth and his adept hand at comedy, his path to cinematic success was perhaps not so surprising. Born in Jiangsu province on 2nd January 1952, young Sammo came from a family of film workers and is the grandson of a celebrated actress. His mother was a movie art director.

As a child, young Sammo - his stage name is a nickname taken from a cartoon character popular at the time (literally translated it means three hairs) – was, by his own admission, a truant and a street kid, something of a bully. Directionless and hard to control, he was signed up for a stay of seven years at the Peking Opera School under the tutelage of Sifu Yu Jim Yuen to learn the practicalities of Chinese opera. This was a blessing for Sammo, who harboured a dream of acting, as his workaholic parents were busy and the grandparents rearing him were getting desperate at his antics.

Excelling at the strict discipline imposed, he headed a team called the Seven Little Fortunes, which also comprised schoolmates Jackie Chan and Yuen Biao. The conditions were hard, and much has been written about the often brutal regime. Sammo said: “We had to sign an agreement, a contact for seven years. On the third day after I signed it, I started to regret it, because the master beat the hell out of me. We were once made to do a handstand on a stool placed on a table. We did for an hour and a half.” Sammo and the other students terrible lives were immortalised on screen in his film Painted Faces. The movie does not shy away from the beatings and conditions they lived in, as they were trained for long hours each day in stage combat, acrobatics, singing and dance.

A broken ankle as a teenager saw him unable to train and he packed on a lot of weight, which he was forever unable to shift. Before his apprenticeship in film truly began, he received that trademark scar on his top lip. If you look carefully, its part of a circle that goes into his right cheek, a remnant of a broken coke bottle shoved into his face outside a Kowloon nightclub by a gangster who disliked Sammo’s acrobatics on the dance floor.

Once free of his contract with the school, Sammo set his sharp sights on a career in film and became an apprentice at 16 years of age. Starting out on screen as a hefty stuntman and ‘heavy’, he soon graduated to a credited extra. His first supporting role of note was in A Touch Of Zen, cited as possibly the first Chinese fight flick to garner international acclaim. This helped Sammo gain a contract with Golden Harvest, one of the most venerated studios in Eastern cinema. He was charged with staging fights in 1971 film The Fast Sword. He stayed with Golden Harvest until 1989. By now his name was growing and his professionalism and sharp uptake of the techniques of filmmaking was also proving him a reliable addition to a film set off-camera.

After a minor altercation with the late great Bruce Lee, the men became friends. Bruce asked Sammo to appear in Enter The Dragon, 1973. Sammo is the poor chubby fellow getting a kicking in the opening scene. This association with the Lee legacy continued as Sammo choreographed and appeared in Game Of Death (what was to have been Bruce’s next big screen project) and also worked with his daughter, Shannon Lee, in an episode of CBS show Martial Law.

Hapkido, 1972, gave Sammo a large supporting role alongside Angela Mao and Carter Wang. He plays a tempestuous young Hapkido student who cannot stay away from a challenge. He studied the martial art for the movie, a form of method acting he continued through his career, such as learning the art of nunchucks for Enter The Fat Dragon, a movie where he idolises the late Bruce Lee and does an impressive impersonation - other deft impersonations of Bruce can be seen in Skinny Tiger Fatty Dragon, a slightly disappointing film but still riotous amount of fun with Karl Maka, and Millionaires Express. Sammo’s character takes on a highly skilled Cynthia Rothrock and channels the late master to defeat her.

By now Sammo was moving out of the being the ‘bad guy’ supporting role into a ‘good guy’ and lead man. Iron Fisted Monk, 1977, saw Sammo’s official directorial debut. He plays a young man seeking vengeance against the oppressive Manchu’s over the death of his uncle. Taking himself to a Shaolin temple, he learns to fight to seek his revenge. The movie proved he had a good eye, knew how to frame a shot and pace a storyline. He also had the reputation of wanting realism in his fight scenes and made sure that actors actually did land the blows they threw.

Along with Enter The Fat Dragon, Sammo was seen to be the natural successor to Bruce Lee as Hong Kong cinema’s next big thing. But a young Jackie Chan put paid to that with his appearance in Drunken Master, and he went on to become the biggest star in Asia. Sammo, who’d made the classic Magnificent Butcher (a movie that used Drunken Master as a supporting character), was not bitter as they were students together back at the Peking Opera School. They decided current cinema was derivative of the old times and something new was needed, so they set out to work together. Along with the stunning physical ability of Yuen Biao, who Sammo introduced to the cinematic world in movies such as Knockabout, this triumvirate would be affectionately named the Three Brothers. Project A, Wheels On Meals and Dragons Forever, as well as The Lucky Stars series, would mark the Three Brothers’ screen endeavours. Each movie is credited as a modern classic, and the affection and seasoned interplay between them works like no other screen partnership had before.

A small falling out between Sammo and Jackie saw this profitable and box office smashing partnership end in bad feeling. Sammo continued to work with Yuen Biao in great pieces like Eastern Condors, and continue his own leading man career with a rash of comedies like Where’s Officer Tuba, Pantyhose Hero and Skinny Tiger Fatty Dragon. He also built up three movie companies of his own and took other projects on as action director. But as he stretched his talents, his movies took less at the box office. Looking back, Eastern Condors is credited as an absolute classic, a 1988 endeavour that sees a group of criminals dropped in Vietnam to retrieve a stashed arsenal. Yet, at the time, it got a lukewarm reception. His late-70s and early to mid-80s heyday was waning.

With his divorce in 1994 from his Korean wife and Peking Opera School sweetheart and mother of his four children, Sammo’s career had nosedived. The Chinese public do not look favourably on divorce, and the quick turnaround in marrying his new wife and Eastern Condors co-star Joyce Mina Godenzi saw him fall out of favour. Struggling to find work in an industry that once embraced him, and after a string of flops that included Don’t Give A Damn and The Pale Sky, he decided to relocate.

With Stanley Tong and the script help of Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, a vehicle was built around our now middle-aged hero. Martial Law was set in Los Angeles and ran for two seasons between 1998-2000. A surprising hit in its first season, Sammo played a good hearted Shanghai police Captain who travels to the US to find his best detective, Grace Chen, played by the beautiful Kelly Hu. Some tweaking of the format saw him gain a partner in Arsenio Hall early in the run. Broadcast on CBS in a prime-time Saturday slot it exposed Hung to a new crop of potential fans and career opportunities. Although he struggled with the English, and was said to have recited some lines phonetically, he shone in the show with specially choreographed fight scenes to best display his skill. Obligatory outtakes at the end of each episode show his struggles with understanding and speaking the language, but also show a fun-loving respected character off-screen.

LA’s TV industry seemed to respect him in a way that Hong Kong once had. Even though a disastrous change of format made sure the second season was sadly the last, Sammo had broadened his range and fan base. The advent of DVD and downloading saw his once old dusty movies remastered, repackaged and sold around the world. His impressive physical skill, direction and natural ability as an actor won him new fans and deeper admiration.

Going back to China he found work again, working with the new wave of stars. Roles supporting Vanness Wu in Dragon Squad, Maggie Q in Three Kingdoms and his own Son Timmy Hung in Kung-Fu Chefs came fast. He has also worked with Wu Jing in Twins Mission and Fatal Move. But it’s his continuing relationship with the exploding star that is Donnie Yen that has seen Sammo happily back home and cemented. His choreography in modern classic Ip Man won him a Hong Kong Film Award. Also, he played a Triad boss in Wilson Yip’s acclaimed crime drama SPL (international title Kill Zone), his first foray into ‘bad guy’ territory for twenty-five years. This was the first chance to face off against Donnie Yen on screen in a whirlwind of Brazilian Jujitsu, a satisfying final fight reel that showed a man in his mid-fifties could still dance with the younger crop.

His re-emergence however was stilted after emergency heart surgery in early 2009. Making a recovery he worked on Ip Man 2, even taking another role opposite Donnie Yen. With a slew of projects in the pipeline it’s good to see the greatest exponent of Hong Kong cinema back on the cusp of the cutting edge. JM

REVIEW: DVD Release: The Victim

Film: The Victim
Release date: 10th July 2010
Certificate: 15
Running time: 92 mins
Director: Sammo Hung
Starring: Sammo Hung, Leung Ka-Yan, Chang Yi, Wilson Tong
Genre: Martial Arts/Action
Studio: Eastern Heroes
Format: DVD
Country: Hong Kong

The Victim sees the teaming up of Hung and Ka-Yan once again, following the success enjoyed together on films such as Knockabout and Enter The Fat Dragon.

Chen Rong (Hung), a drifter, likes to challenge his impressive fighting skills by throwing down gauntlets to renowned accomplished fighters, their masters and even their grandmasters. Yet, when he encounters a man he is unable to beat, a reclusive named Chun Yao, he kowtows and begs to become his student.

Yet Chun Yao is in seclusion with his wife, Yoo Yi, for good reason. His adopted father’s true son, Big Brother Ming, wants him dead and desires his wife.

Although dismissive and irritated by Chen’s constant badgering, will tragic events force Chun to accept the irascible wannabe student so he can face Ming and his hired heavies? And will a mysterious man seen only in shadow, a secretive hitman, prove to accomplish his dark mission to kill Chun Yao before Big Brother Ming need dirty his hands?


Leung Ka-Yan (known to HK fight fans affectionately as ‘Beardy’) is given centre stage quite unselfishly by co-star Hung. Leung Ka-Yan begun his career unschooled in unarmed combat, and rapidly learnt his impressive skills with various extra and cameo roles throughout the late 1970s. The Victim gave him chance to expand on his basic skills by practicing styles such as Northern style kung fu with luminaries such as Hung. Although, at the time, still regarded a novice, he does not disappoint. The style of Iron Cross he practices in this movie seems to have been in his armoury for many years, such is his seemingly effortless control and mastery.

Humorous segments, one particular favourite involving Chen stalking Chun Yao to a gentleman’s sauna and copying everything he does, contrast deftly with the suspense built throughout the piece with the intermittent scenes featuring the unidentified Hitman, always clad in shadow, being paid in gold. This contrast pulls through the lining of the film, with gravediggers meeting with a western stylised vampire, and role playing from Hung, who assumes Chun Yao’s standoffish character in order to have an angry conversation with him, as the man himself pretends to be ignorant of his existence.

Making wonderful use of the New Territories in Hong Kong gives the film its sense of pre-developed China, offering age and setting. A scene with the wannabe student against angry reluctant master sees the starring men take advantage of fighting in each room of a house, flipping through open plan windows and duelling around Chun’s wife. Unfortunately, a great scene involving Chen Rong in petulant bully mode is hard to see and savour, as he takes on a steam bath full of naked men with an example or two of expert towel flicking. This is sadly due to the steam, white background and un-restored age of the movie.

Another loss can be attributed to female lead Yoo Yi. Her vacuous staring into the distance leaves the viewer unsure if her pivotal character is truly tormented by the fate that surely awaits her, or if she is generally unsure about how to play the role of plot instigator.

Trademark weapon work interlaces with emotional intensity, perhaps slightly overplayed by the badgered Chun Yao, throughout this low budget masterpiece. The movie assumes a fine balance between comedic and crushing that ensures the series of unexpected twists play even sweeter to the viewer.

The crucial final reel sees Hung hand the limelight to Leung Ka-Yan as he faces his foe. Although The Victim is a sure progression in the realm of HK villain laden ‘this time its personal’ endeavours, Leung is still allowed a line at home within any Shaw Brothers epic: “Stay out of this, or you’ll all die.” Perhaps we know the outcome of this withering attack, but the well-timed tragic events preceding the epic battle give it much more depth – thankfully, it doesn’t make the viewer cringe.

The DVD is hard to get hold of, and is a straight VHS to DVD transfer. However, the scratchy frames and deviating colour mix set the viewer firmly in the warm and comforting filmic arms of old HK. The now defunct UK based label Eastern Heroes made sure the subtitles were updated and thankfully not burnt in with Mandarin characters, as many direct copies can be, and a small extras section offers an interview with Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao (absent from this movie), and a stills gallery.


Sometimes overlooked, this early classic is a satisfying and finely balanced example of Hong Kong action cinema. An aficionado and casual fan favourite, The Victim displays stunning choreography, the then emerging talent of Leung Ka-Yan, and a plot speckled with bluffs and twists. JM

 

REVIEW: DVD Release: Encounters Of The Spooky Kind

Film: Encounters Of The Spooky Kind
Release date: 12th November 2001
Certificate: 15
Running time: 98 mins
Director: Sammo Hung
Starring: Sammo Hung, Ha Huang, Dick Wei, Fat Chung, Lung Chan
Genre Martial Arts/Action/Comedy/Horror/Fantasy
Studio: E1
Format: DVD
Country: Hong Kong

To be credited with the creation of an entire sub-genre in the world of cinema is a desirable and enviable addition to any CV. Already an established and innovative actor, director and stunt choreographer, Sammo Hung decided to expand on his repertoire delivering supernatural/horror kung-fu to the world. Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead even dropped a nod.

Encounters Of The Spooky Kind opens in a black and smoky backdrop, with two skeletons in broken funeral jars discussing ways to escape from hell. They spy our story protagonist, a drunken Bold Cheung. They decide to attack him as his flesh may be a way out. One bites away a lump of his leg, and thoughtfully chews, whilst the other tries to strangle him...

Snapping awake and realising it was an awful dream; Bold faces the reality of another day of a low-paid job and arguments with a pernickety spouse. She sees him as quite worthless, and taunts him with her new silk clothes, perhaps bought by a much wealthier lover?

Bold lives in near poverty in 1800s China, working as a driver for respected wealthy magistrate, Mr. Tam, who likes to frequent the local brothels. Bold distracts himself from his marriage troubles by making bets with his fellow eccentric drivers during his breaks. As his name suggests, he’s a braggart and won’t back away from a challenge, even if it’s based in the occult…


A scene mildly familiar to fans of future horror classic Candyman sees Cheung visit a ramshackle and supposedly haunted house to play Peel-Apple. He’s to skin the fruit without breaking the rind in front of a mirror. A good-humoured prank soon turns sinister as a real ghostly lady, half deformed, reaches through the glass and across the room for his soul. Bold manages to escape, this time, but unlucky events seem to be stacking against him.

Using a lunch break to try and catch his wife cheating, Bold spies through a crack in his front door to see her being caressed. After battling to break down the door, he finds her dressed and denying all knowledge. Again she goads him for his stupidity and sees he is carrying a cleaver. Whilst taunting him to kill her in front of their nosy neighbours, the cuckold finds a shoe that doesn’t fit him – does he finally have the evidence he needs?

An offer to stay locked in a Temple overnight with corpses is made by a stranger who knows of his reputation. Unable to resist the prize of some ten taels of silver if he succeeds, Bold sets off. A good wizard named Tsui (Fatt) makes his acquaintance in the woods to offer advice of how to stay alive – it’s a night with animated corpses. The corpses are an extension of an evil wizard, Hoi, who’s been paid to kill Bold.

Surviving the night dazed, he is let out of the Temple by the stranger. In a near catatonic state, he agrees to another night, and it starts to become clear to him he is not just gambling for money, he’s gambling with his life. Enlisting the help of the friendly Tsui, Bold makes repair for another night with chicken eggs and a wooden bowl of black dog legs and blood. The first fight scene sees Bold trying to keep the staccato corpses at bay with these ingredients, and some high-energy martial arts.

After his trails in the dusty Temple, Cheung comes home to find no wife but blood. Wrongly accused of his wife’s apparent murder, Bold is arrested by police chief (Lam Ching-Ying). He escapes prison to go on the run with not only the police Chief after him but also Hoi, both determined he should die.

Inspired dextrous fight sequences allow Hung to enlist his superior physical prowess and control. A tea-house fight scene features expert swordplay, whilst spiritual body possession sees a mish-mash of styles, such as monkey, facing off with spear-work and acrobatics. Hung’s unrivalled comedy vision adds its customary dash of fun with an anachronistic game of YMCA with a freshly animated maggot-ridden corpse.

Special effects are a victim of the era, but they charm the viewer rather than elicit derision. An example being the spectre of lady who reaches for our hero through the mirror - the elongated arms stretching for Bold evoke more of a smile than any terror. The blood of his ‘murder victim’ is an off colour runny paint, and the demonic manifestations seem too human and alive, yet this helps the movies abundant charm filter through. These minor niggles contrast with wonderful mood lighting, period 1800s settings and dress, and incidental music reminiscent of The Shining.


Encounters Of The Spooky Kind gives us an entertaining and ground-breaking example of a genre the East is now renowned for. JM

REVIEW: DVD Release: Kill Zone

Film: Kill Zone
Release date: 8th March 2010
Certificate: 18
Running time: 88 mins
Director: Wilson Yip
Starring: Donnie Yen, Simon Yam, Sammo Hung, Jacky Wu
Genre: Action/Martial Arts/Crime
Studio: Cine Asia
Format: DVD & Blu-ray
Country: Hong Kong

With the martial arts talents of Sammo Hung and Donnie Yen, spectacular fight sequences were a given, but Kill Zone doesn’t rest on its laurels.

Simon Yam’s Inspector Chan has devoted his career to putting Mob Boss Po in Prison. When escorting a witness with indisputable evidence of Po's wrong doing to court, his police van is rammed at high speed by a car driven by an assassin. The wreck kills the witness and his wife, but spares the their young daughter. Chan is left with a shard of glass in the back of his head and upon removal, doctors discover a tumour in his brain. The knowledge that he doesn't have long left makes Detective Chan all the more determined to bring down Wong Po.

Having taken responsibility for the victims daughter, in failing health and due to retire soon, Chan goes from a good man with a burning desire to put a bad man behind bars before it’s too late, to a man who’ll do anything to accomplish his goal - legal or not. He can count on loyalty from his small group of officers, but faces opposition from Inspector Ma (Donnie Yen), who has been assigned to take over the unit when Chan retires. Ma seems rigidly by the book, but he too has a dark past...


The central issue of Kill Zone is the transformation of Chan and his men from good men determined to serve justice to villains out for themselves. Sammo Hung’s mob boss acts as an impetus for their descent, but doesn’t force Chan and the others to do anything. At times, it seems that Po is as much narrative mechanism as he is character, in that while he is the reason for Chan’s downward spiral, he is not orchestrating it. Yes, Po is the nominal ‘bad guy’, but how far can the ‘good guy’ go before he crosses that line.

Sammo Hung’s performance as Po is excellent, and couldn’t be more removed from his usual, genial persona. Po is not a pantomime villain, rather he is a dangerous man, determined to hold onto what he‘s got. In that respect, he is all too human.

Without a doubt, though, it’s Simon Yam that makes Kill Zone tick. Inspector Chan is the type of role Yam has specialised in lately, although never with this much depth of character. He is undoubtedly a good man, but at the top of a slippery moral slope. While Chan’s criminal actions will undoubtedly make the world a better place (Po is a vicious murderer, after all), the tragedy is that they won’t just cost Chan’s limited future, but that of his men as well. Chan is so single-minded about his goal that he never comes to realise this, making his moral crusade more of a dark obsession that has to end badly. Yam, a fine performer in even the most mediocre of productions, brings genuine humanity and moral ambiguity to Chan.

Good as Kill Zone is, though, it‘s far from perfect. Donnie Yen, while brilliant in the action scenes, just doesn’t have the acting chops, and seems out of place in such a dark, brooding crime film. Also, while suspension of disbelief should be a given, in a world where beating down a police officer in front of several witnesses, mostly fellow officers, doesn’t land you with a custodial sentence, it’s no wonder the cops have to resort to morally questionable actions.

Although it’s most effective as a dark, gritty crime story, Kill Zone also has a number of top class action scenes that will please fans of the genre. Patience is a virtue, though, as we have to wait fifty minutes or so before the film fully explodes. Until then, there are several ‘teasers’, most of which involving Po liberally dishing out beatings to the police because, as mentioned, he’s beyond reprimand in this version of Hong Kong. The movie’s signature action sequence has to be between Donnie Yen and Sammo Hung, however - a clash of the titans indeed. It’s Donnie Yen’s speed and agility against Hung’s brute strength and power, and it’s one of the most memorable fight scenes committed to film for some time.


Kill Zone is a successful merging of a gritty crime drama and a martial arts movie, and marks a potential transition point for Hong Kong cinema - a grown up martial arts film. We can only hope that others take note and follow suit. PD

REVIEW: DVD Release: Wheels On Meals

Film: Wheels On Meals
Release date: 7th April 2008

Certificate: 15

Running time: 104 mins

Director: Sammo Hung

Starring: Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, Yuen Biao

Genre: Martial Arts/Action/Comedy

Studio: Contender

Format: DVD

Country: Hong Kong

Wheels On Meals was one of just three movies which bought together the ‘3 Brothers’ - action superstar Jackie Chan, exceptional physical performer Yuen Biao and the venerated Big Brother, Sammo Hung (a trio much-loved in HK, and subsequently worldwide). Sprinkle in the inspired European setting of Barcelona, add a Caucasian former beauty queen with actual acting ability in Lola Forner, and the unbeaten fight legend Benny ‘The Jet’ Urquidez, and we’ve a practically unmatched example of cross-cultural cinematic harmony.

Cousins Thomas and David (Chan and Biao) are good-hearted Chinese immigrants attempting to carve a business in the mobile food business. They practice martial arts - Chan reluctantly - and have another Chinese friend, the blundering, if not charming ‘Moby’ (Hung).

Moby gains promotion to head a faltering detective agency, which is high in debt and low on cases. A break for the broke, Moby comes in contact with a gentleman wanting a missing person traced - the illegitimate daughter of a former maid once in the service of a rich and respected household. If she is found before another party led by ‘The Count’, a man with designs on the fortune himself, she in line for a mighty inheritance, and Moby an enormous salary.

As Moby makes enquiries of the whereabouts of Sylvia in smoky speakeasies, and the alleys and seedier regions of Barcelona, David and Thomas find themselves accidentally acquainted with Moby’s target. Her mother, the former maid, is a resident at the mental hospital, and romancing a fellow patient in David’s father. Cue cameos from other eccentric but playful patients in the shape of Richard Ng (now Woo) and John Shum, and the unique family-feel experience of a Sammo Hung movie starts to simmer.

Sylvia, obviously lovely and bedazzling to the cousins, is however an accomplished thief and a professional seductress who robs them, steals their Spanish gigolo of a neighbour’s car and crashes into Moby. She purloins his wallet, but the bumbling detective manages to trace her as she’s about to be kidnapped by The Counts henchmen. She manages to escape, and disappears until Moby works out her link to his friends. Moby enlists the help of his two Chinese brothers in tracing the beautiful inheritress…


Fully utilising the beauty of Spain’s capital, we’re treated to striking shots of a shimmering Barcelona, and vast pans of the sun-dappled cathedral and market square. These contrast capably with scenes set in Spain’s sewers and sparse countryside. Hung took a gamble taking the movie overseas, and he makes quite wonderful use of the sweeping roads for his staple car-cum-food-van-chase, as well as giving equal screen time to his Caucasian counterparts - although they are expectedly at odds with the Chinese characters who’re shown as fastidious and much more resourceful.

Inspired fight scenes pepper the movie. Hung makes great use of a vast market square to engineer an opening fight between Chan, Biao and a gang of petty motorcycle thugs whose anti-social revving is damaging their business. A huge crowd watches on as two thugs travelling at speed are drop-kicked from their bikes.

A high speed food van chase adds the expected dash of comedic velocity that is the trademark of ‘3 Brothers’ movies, as well as those aforementioned cameos from stalwarts of HK cinema.

The finale is set in a grand castle where the lovely Sylvia, since rediscovered and employed by the cousins as a waitress at the food van, and her quite mad mother are being held by The Count. At times, it resembles a Super Mario-style storyline, with each ‘brother’ trying different routes into the castle to save the ornately costumed ‘Princess’. Chan climbs a wall with sticks, while Biao abseils into trouble with some American baseball playing henchmen.

Our final fight reel sees Chan take on Urquidez in a dazzling display of skills that is seen by some fanatics as the greatest end fight scene in ‘80s cinema. His reluctance in training makes Chan sloppy and lacking in stamina, so he treats the bout as a training session to unsettle his bigger and stronger opponent. Hung chips in with some cumbersome weapon-wielding set to Chinese opera beats, while Biao does some playful but effective table acrobatics to take on Vitali.

Hung gives perhaps too much time over to the car chase, as well forcing in too many comedy set-pieces set in the hospital grounds and wine bar - Hung answers a phone, giving the lady lots of kisses and promises to see her later before passing it on to the bartender who’d been ribbing him earlier on and saying “your wife.”

These small deviances are tempered by the proficient fight editing and runaway enjoyment of the movie. This style of HK comedy is sadly wanting today.


One of the biggest martial arts movies to be produced outside of HK, Meals On Wheels pledges snappy laughs, polished fight scenes and, of course, fun. JM