Kung Fu Hustle

Starring: Stephen Chow, Yuen Wah, Leung Siu Lung
Directed by: Stephen Chow
Rating: R
Genre: Action, Comedy, Foreign
2004

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A group of reluctant kung fu masters battle a group of gangsters who terrorize everyone in their way.

Review:

Tim: This movie evoked similar feelings in me to Shaolin Soccer, another film directed by and starring Stephen Chow. Both films combine impressive martial arts with cartoonish slapstick comedy. Both are somewhat entertaining, but finally a bit disappointing. I actually liked Shaolin Soccer better. The problem with this movie is that it manages to be entertaining, but not very effective. It's fun to watch zany characters defy the laws of physics and common sense in battle, but ultimately, none of it matters. There's no real sense of suspense or urgency in this movie.

Stephen Chow does a good job both behind and in front of the camera. He's not the most exciting or likeable character here, which hurts the movie. Truth be told, there's no characters in this movie you can actually really like. The best it can hope for are characters who we can tolerate (and there are only a few of these). The supporting cast aren't very good. They play their roles decently enough, but no one besides Chow makes much of an impact.

Stephen Chow always does a great job of giving you some amazing martial arts scenes. Here, they are quite good, but you can't help but wish for a few more. Several of the kung fu masters have bizarre powers, like an audible roar that blasts people away. I have to admit I didn't understand but still loved the gangsters who fight with the musical instrument. I'm not sure how that was supposed to work, but it was amazing to see. The film's climactic battle, though a bit confusing, was still very interesting to watch.

Kung Fu Hustle is fun because it is so different from the majority of films made in the United States. You really do need to go outside our borders to find some cutting edge filmmaking. However, while unique, many of these attributes eventually get a bit tiring. I enjoyed this movie, but far less than I hoped to.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 6.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Shaolin Soccer, House of Flying Daggers